Less than two hours after former state Sen. Charles Walker was found guilty on 127 counts in U.S. District Court, Augusta Chronicle readers began speaking out - submitting comments to www.augustachronicle.com/talk. We contacted a few of the contributors to share their comments with readers:
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WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"I wish I were a juror. It would have been 12 angry men all over again. Charles Walker didn't do anything wrong at all; the state just wants to run his events and take credit for them. Jerks!"
- Robert Matthews, of Hephzibah, who works in customer service and studies at Augusta State University
"Augusta's own 'Teflon Don' has finally collapsed. I try very hard to remember that one is innocent until proven guilty, but I had a bad feeling about Mr. Walker since the conception of this investigation. I absolutely do not believe that his trial was a politically motivated witch hunt. Now it's two down and one to go."
- Thomas Sumner, of Augusta, educator
"And to the person that commented that Charles Walker was not tried by a jury of his peers: You are right. In order to do that, you would have needed 12 criminals on the jury, regardless of the skin color. Doing wrong is doing wrong."
- David Goodrich, of Augusta, who works in real estate investment
"So, as former Sen. Walker's lawyers contemplate grounds for appeal, in the natural progression of things, challenging the jury makeup (peers, or lack of such) is the immediate focus of attention. What group of citizens make up peers of Mr. Walker's? Would that be an all-black jury? But, if one enters that arena, his peers should also be elected politicians and millionaires. They should also be a son, not a daughter, of a sharecropper. As well, a jury of his peers should drive a Jaguar or a Rolls-Royce. They should also have, over the years, done many wonderful things for this city, as well as the African-American community. But that is the nature of the beast today, to insult the jury that carefully considered the evidence presented and reached what they considered to be a fair and just verdict, without prejudice, without malice, without undue pressure from outside influences, and without bias whatsoever. I suggest finding a jury of such ilk is impossible. So, for the sake of the ever-volatile race relations in Augusta, let us not go there."
- Tom Mills, of Augusta, former registered nurse working in medical quality assurance
"This is a conflicting verdict. ... He is found guilty on taking money from the Classic yet acquitted on the tax evasion charge. Moreover, this jury chose to believe clearly questionable witnesses. Your reporter was in the court during the whole trial, and I'm sure the verdict even astonished her. Thank God our judicial system has corrective powers built within it."
- Grady Cornish, of Athens, Ga., retired educator and business owner
Previous Stories
• Walker must appeal from cell
• Walker receives 10-year sentence
• 'McIntyre bill' now applies to Walker
• What they're saying about the Walker verdict - 06/06/05
• Walker verdict changes politics
• What they're saying about the Walker verdict - 06/05/05
• Jury convicts on 127 of 137 counts
Federal Indictment Documents
(Adobe Reader is required to read these files. Click here for the free reader)
• Full 66-page indictment *Caution: Large document* (pdf)
• Part 1: General Allegations (pdf)
• Penalty Certificate (pdf)
• Scheme to Defraud Advertisers in the Augusta Focus (pdf)
• Scheme to Defraud Involving Grady Memorial Hospital (pdf)
• Scheme to Defraud Involving the Medical College of Georgia (pdf)
• Scheme to Defraud Involving His Political Campaign Account
• Charles & Monique Walker's Scheme to Defraud the C.S.R.A. Classic (pdf)
• The Tax Counts (pdf)
