FAMILY SAYS SHERIFF'S STATEMENT INADEQUATE

Victim's mother, wife say sheriff didn't reveal shooting details

Kenneth Walker's family responded Monday to Sheriff Ralph Johnson's
statement about the events of Dec. 10 that led up to the fatal shooting of
Walker on Interstate 185. Emily Walker, the mother of the slain man, and
Cheryl Walker, his wife, say the sheriff did not shed any light on how
Walker ended up dead.

Walker, 39, was a passenger in a gray GMC Yukon that was believed, based on
reports from an informant, to be carrying armed drug traffickers from Miami.
The vehicle was stopped by sheriff's deputies on I-185, and as four local
men were being pulled from the Yukon, Walker was fatally shot. There were no
drugs or weapons found and no charges filed against the men.

Five weeks after the shooting, Johnson issued a statement Friday about his
department's investigation, but did not give much detail as to how or why
Walker was shot in the head twice.

That's prompting the family to ask more questions.

"The emphasis seemed to have been on drug-related activities that did not
take place at I-185 south of Manchester Expressway over the Edgewood
underpass," the Walkers' statement says. "We're still praying and waiting...
that some conclusion to this case will soon be forthcoming and justice will
be served."

Johnson could not be reached Monday for comment on the family's concerns.

The sheriff's statement focused on investigation and surveillance of an
apartment linked to drug activity. The sheriff said the Yukon was not
stopped at random, but was followed from the apartment.

The family said Johnson's comments about the narcotics investigation that
led to the arrests of Michael Powell, Darrell Jackson and Thomas Randall do
not have anything to do with Walker's shooting. Since his death, the family
has been adamant that Walker was not involved in drugs.

Another key issue Walker's family has with the sheriff is his department's
lack of communication with them.

Johnson's statement says: "The Walker family has been contacted and a copy
of this release will be provided to them."

As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, the Walker family had not received a copy of the
release from the sheriff's department, according to Emily Walker. But she
said she got a copy from a concerned citizen. The last time the sheriff's
department directly contacted the family was Dec. 12.

Walker's family also responded to the reason Johnson gave for not releasing
the name of the deputy who shot Walker. Johnson said he chose not to release
Deputy David Glisson's name earlier because of threats and vandalism against
sheriff's department personnel and property.

"I simply did not wish for anyone else to get hurt," Johnson said.

The Walker family says that withholding the deputy's name and other details
hurts them more.

"Hopefully, no other family will have to experience such an ordeal due to
misinformation, mistrust and seemingly lack of concern from an elected
official for the welfare of all of its citizens," the Walkers' statement
says.