The disgraced Philadelphia cop testifying against his former colleagues in a police corruption trial was painted as an unstable alcoholic Wednesday whose state of mind was so bad that at one point his supervisors asked him to turn over his gun.
That incident, which happened in 2002, was disclosed as defense attorneys began attacking the credibility of former narcotics officer Jeffrey Walker, the government’s star witness in a case against six Philadelphia police officers accused of ripping off drug dealers.
Walker acknowledged he had left a mental health treatment facility against doctors’ wishes, prompting his supervisors to ask him to turn over his gun.
Walker, now 46, was arrested in an FBI sting in 2013 where he planted drugs on a suspected drug dealer. That dealer, who Walker arrested and jailed, turned out to be an FBI informant. Walker then broke into the informant’s house looking for money and marijuana, whereupon he was arrested by the feds.
Walker is now testifying in hope he may someday walk out of prison.
While the exact details of the Walker’s visit to the mental health facility were not fleshed out in testimony, the incident did serve to underscore the defense’s depiction of the former cop as an unstable alcoholic who was prone to falling asleep on surveillance details.
Defense attorney Jack McMahon also accused Walker of having barricaded himself in his home when he returned from the treatment facility. His girlfriend at the time after was allegedly scared because Walker’s behavior.
Walker contended that he was not a danger to himself or others.
“I went to a hospital for treatment,” Walker said. “I was feeling good so I went home.”
Testimony did not reveal if SWAT officers actually went to Walker’s residence.
McMahon accused Walker of being drunk on one occasion when he picked up his daughter from daycare.
‘I’m grown. I went to the bar. I had a beer, had a sandwich,” Walker said.
Walker also told the court about the time he lost his gun while drunk.
“I walked into the lieutenant’s office. I said, ‘I don’t know what I did with my gun. I went to the bar, I don’t know what I did with it.’”
The whole squad was detailed to find the pistol. It was later located under the seat of Walker’s car.
His supervisor even knew when he worked while drunk, Walked said.
“If I came to work drunk, policy was that he should take me to 8th and Race (Police Headquarters) for a breathalyzer. I upheld the law. With a gun. He did nothing.”
