St. Petersburg man gets 15 years for drugs, inciting a riot

LARGO -- The brother of a man who was shot by a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy in 2005 pleaded guilty today to numerous drug charges and will spend 15 years in prison. Orin Montrell Walker, 27, also pleaded guilty to inciting a riot.

Sheriff's deputies in April 2005 raided the Walker home at 3143 16th Ave. S in a drug investigation and said Jarrell Walker, 19, appeared to be reaching for something under the couch. He refused repeated commands to show his hands, and a deputy shot Jarrell Walker twice in the back.

Although the deputy was later cleared of wrongdoing, the shooting prompted community outrage and protests. About a month after the shooting, Orin Walker and another man were charged with inciting a riot in Childs Park, urging a crowd to attack police.  Bricks, rocks and bottles were thrown at officers during the day.

And then, five months later, the Sheriff's Office conducted another raid on the same home, discovering cocaine, marijuana and other drugs inside. Orin Walker was arrested along with his mother, Wanda, on sales and possession charges.

All this came to a head today, the day Orin Walker's trial was set to begin.

Walker complained to Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Thane Covert that he was upset with his attorney, the well-known lawyer Grady Irvin. Holding a law book, Walker said he wanted Irvin to file a motion to suppress evidence in the case. He said the original search warrant only specified that officers were looking for cocaine, not the other drugs they found. He said the motion "is critical to my case."

Irvin, looking frustrated, said he had filed just such a motion, but said it would not wipe away as much evidence as Walker imagined. He said he had tried to explain this to his client. 

Walker said he was considering firing Irvin and defending himself. A man who identified himself as Walker's cousin urged him to do so, shouting "pro se," in the courtroom.

The judge told Walker he could defend himself if he wanted to, but the case would still go on today.

After discussions with Iirvin, Walker eventually entered into a plea arrangement and pleaded guilty to trafficking in hydrocodone, cocaine and oxycodone; possession of amphetamines and marijuana; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and inciting a riot.

Prosecutor Bill Burgess said the deal takes a drug dealer off the streets for 15 years, without the possibility of getting released early, which "is good for St. Pete."

Walker's mother will have a hearing on her charges next month.

Curtis Krueger, Times Staff Writer

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Comments

[CrowdSurf1]

Now THAT is JUSTICE!

Maybe you people will think twice about the PO-LICE.

They were right the WHOLE TIME!!!

[nickatdabeach]

I support the cops

[Jay]

I personally wish more of these morons would represent themselves. They wouldn't get off on some of the technicalities the lawyers know about. I hope he gets share a cell with his dirt bag mother!

[mom1]

Doesn't anyone feel sympathy for this greiving family the mother losses two sons her addiction to cocaine has nothing to do with the facts and oh and if you read up on the dead brother the 19y/old child never was pulling for a gun so that cop should of been charged with MURDER!! Investigate you critics

[CrowdSurf1]

Hey MOM1....what happens when you tell your child 3 times to stop doing something?? Would you discipline him/her? Well....the police told him 3 times to move his hands away...to which he did not comply only to motion aggressively towards the officer. The office shot him.

Sorry for the family?? Why?? They brought this on themselves. Maybe his mother should have provided a stable environment instead of a crack house......or is the reason why she could not all the "white" peoples fault??

YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE!

[Grannyinfla]

Mom1 I'm sorry but you are wrong. As a mother it is our jobs to teach kids right from wrong. This mother did not and it has cost both of her sons their lives and/or freedom. That is not what a mother does. I do not feel sorry for drug addicts and my brother was an addict all his life. It is a choice like any other. She choose wrong. And by the way, that 19 yr olds gun was found just a few feet away from him when the officer shot him. With drug addicts/dealers, for cops, its kill or be killed. I would personally rather have the cops on my streets than the dealers.

[GetaEffinLife]

wateverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!