A judge ruled Friday that statements an Army medic made to an investigator after his wife was found dead were coerced.
A possible appeal of the ruling is now delaying trial against Pvt. Michael Walker, who is accused of conspiring with his lover to kill his wife.
Catherine Walker was found stabbed to death in 2014 in the couple’s Honolulu military home. Ailsa Jackson, who had been having an affair with Michael Walker, pleaded guilty to the murder in 2015, stating that she and Walker had conspired together in the crime.
Walker was charged with first-degree murder by way of aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder.
U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway ruled that prosecutors may not use at trial statements Walker made about his affairs. Mollway says the interrogation produced involuntary statements, partly because Walker was hungry and tired, and because the interrogation continued even though Walker asked for a lawyer to be present after being apprised of his Miranda rights.
During the interrogation, which was recorded on video, Walker initially said his wife’s death could have been a suicide based on what he saw at the scene. He later admitted that he was having an affair with Jackson and that Jackson had threatened to kill his wife.
Prosecutors told Mollway on Friday that they’re awaiting U.S. Department of Justice approval to appeal. Trial was scheduled to begin this week.
Jackson previously made a deal with prosecutors to testify against Walker in exchange for a lighter sentence, but Mollway decided last year to hold off on approving the deal until she knows what is revealed in Walker’s trial.
Walker was court-martialed in 2016 for solicitation of payment for sex and possession of child pornography arising from information and evidence uncovered during the investigation of his wife’s murder.
Last month, Walker was convicted in military court of sexual abuse of a child, assault by battery and communicating a threat. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
