One of Pop Smoke’s alleged killers, Corey Walker, was possibly facing the death penalty for the Brooklyn drill rapper’s 2020 murder — but now, it looks like he will escape that fate.
According to The Shade Room, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office decided not to seek the death penalty for Walker during a Tuesday (July 6) hearing. The 20-year-old defendant — wearing a royal blue prison jumpsuit and mask — was in court for an arraignment hearing when he learned of the prosecutor’s decision. Walker previously asked the court to drop the murder charge but was denied in May.
Walker was charged in Pop Smoke’s murder alongside two juveniles and another adult. The motive for the botched robbery was reportedly Pop Smoke’s ornate Rolex watch, which they ended up selling for roughly $2,000.
Prosecution for the case, Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams, says the maximum sentence Walker could receive if found guilty would be life without parole. Walker returns to court on Wednesday (July 7) to enter a formal plea after a printing error with the court documents.
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The alleged triggerman in Pop Smoke’s death is reportedly just 15 years old, the youngest of the four defendants facing murder and robbery charges in the case. He allegedly confessed to his role in the murder during a recorded interview with a cellmate at a juvenile detention center in May 2020.
“He admitted that he shot the victim three times with a Baretta 9 (mm.),” LAPD Detective Carlos Camacho testified at a preliminary hearing for Walker. The detective said the teen “admitted they asked for the jewelry” and then had “a confrontation” with Pop Smoke before ultimately killing him.
“They got into a fight, and he shot him three times,” Camacho said. “He said he shot him on the back.”
Pop Smoke's 2nd Posthumous Album Receives Release Date
Walker confessed to his role during another secretly recorded jailhouse interview with a different informant placed in his cell after his July 2020 arrest. He allegedly admitted the group used ski masks, gloves and a police scanner to try to “evade detection.”
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Camacho added, “He said that when the individuals got inside, the suspects confronted (Pop Smoke), who was in the shower naked.”
Since Pop Smoke’s death, his debut albumShoot For The Stars Aim For The Moonhas became a Billboard phenomenon, landing at No. 1 upon its initial release and returning to the coveted spot three months later. His team is looking to make magic again with his second posthumous album, the self-titled Pop Smoke, which is expected to arrive on Friday (July 16). The project features 17 new tracks, but no singles from the album have been released (yet).
