Tuesday
Sep012009
From Nathan Walker Sr., perspective on a father and (now convicted) son
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 11:39AM The Blogmother 
Early in trial during jury selection, Nathan Walker, in white shirt, and co-defendant Tommy Poindexter at defense table.C.B. Hanif for WAOD:
He said it was a news report that had prompted him take up a reporter’s invitation to share what he would like people to know, as his son faced a trial with life in jail among the possible consequences.
He said the report had stated he wasn’t present when his son’s 11 guilty verdicts were read in court late Friday.
He wanted to explain that the reason he was not it in the courtroom at the time, as he had been most of that day, and on each of the trial’s previous six days, was because a friend he’d relied on had failed to summon him, from the library across the street, for the jury’s late-breaking announcement.
The senior Nathan Walker, on left in blue, joined by other family members in his usual place during the trial: in the courtroom.He described himself as a father long estranged from his children’s mother, and also fighting his own childhood and drug demons.
But he emphasized that, “To be there, in that courtroom for my son, was the most important thing in the world to me, at that particular time.”
He is the father of Nathan Walker, one of the participants who was convicted on multiple counts in the gang rape and assault on a mother and her son two years ago.
In additional perspective documented by WAOD regarding some of the principals in the Dunbar Village sexual assault case, Nathan Walker Sr., during a telephone interview Saturday, shared insight on the life of his son, and his own.
He described himself as trying to do the right thing in marrying his wife Ruby who had just birthed baby Nathan.
“I was trying to be with the woman that I had had the baby with,” he said. “That was one of the reasons me and her got married.”
It lasted about a year. “I was young, probably in my early 20s,” and he and his wife, who he said already had children, were having their own problems.
”I think it was back in ’90, probably early ’92 when we separated,” he said. “There were some things that went on, and I just walked away. And there has been times, or short period of times, that I thought I would come back, and try to get things right, but it just didn’t work.”
That meant there were “periods of times, when I was struggling with my addiction, that I didn’t see my son,” and daughter Portia for whose birth he had been in the hospital room. “That was the main thing that kept me from being around my kids, was when I was in active use.”
His drug problem — drinking to marijuana to crack cocaine — had begun before Nathan was born.
“When it went into full-blown addiction I didn’t even know what was going on for quite a bit of time. But when you’re a young kid out there and you’re drinking and this and that, at a functional stage you have no idea what addiction is.
“But when things began to become unmanageable for me, that’s when I began to say 'Something is wrong, I can’t stop.'
"It wasn’t until I come to a place called the Regeneration Center that I began to understand what addiction was and why things were so out of control, why I was out of control.”
When he was in recovery, he said, “me Nathan and Portia were close. When I was sober we hung out together, we did things together.”
He’s now back at the Regeneration Center, he said, “The same place that my recovery started."
Earler, he was “at this place down in Lake Worth, called Project Success, that was a two-year program.
"And during the whole time that I was there, at Project Success, me and my daughter was going places, doing things…And they was telling me ‘Maybe your son has got some issues and stuff, be patient with him don’t like run him off,’ and that kind of thing.
"That’s when I was trying to do, be patient with him. And I was trying to get to a point where I could really sit down him one-on-one and talk to him, and spend some alone time with him.
“And when I was in the process of doing that, all this here came way out of left field…Because I had no idea, that he was down there doing some things or around that area hanging out with these guys.
"All this other this other stuff, hanging out with guys that had guns, and getting into trouble and that kind of thing…If I had known all that was going on, that would have been a situation where I probably would have strong-armed him a little bit. Saying ‘What’s going on Junior, let me talk to you about it.’
"But (family members were) saying he was just down in Dunbar Village hanging out, it’s ok, everything’s fine, that kind of thing, and it really, really, really wasn’t."
Does he think his son was using any drugs?
“I was told that he was using pot, marijuana. And I don’t know, it could have been some times that I was hearing but I wasn’t sure, I know about the pot smoking, but at times there may have been some pills or something that he may have had, I’m not sure.”
Why do you think he wasn’t supervised that night?
“Probably because I think Junior, there may have been some problems with him and his mother, and he probably much probably didn’t want to be around in the home. There may have been some problems there. And that’s why he may have been over Avion’s house or whoever house over at Dunbar Village…That’s what I’m thinking."
Why do you think your son didn’t confess?
“I think it was more fear. He was scared.”
Do you feel that he’s sorry?
“Very much so. I think he has learned a valuable lesson. Valuable lesson.”
He explained that Nathan “wasn’t able to read because he has a slow learning disability. It’s hard for him to comprehend some words. It’s one of the reasons why he was receiving some kind of disability…
“I remember even times when, I couldn’t figure it out but, how frustrated he would get when I would sit down and try to help him with his homework and he couldn’t comprehend it. He would get very frustrated, that kind of thing.
"I know how very frustrating it was for him, you know. Not to the point where he gets angry. It wasn’t angry or anything, not outraged or anything. It was in between sadness and, ‘Why can’t I understand?’ That kind of thing on his face.
“I feel that I have to accept my own responsibility in that part because I really feel that I could have did something myself too at the same time.”
During a break, Nathan far right.Can you remember times when Nathan was at peace?
“I saw that when he was with me. When he was around the environment I was in. When he was around the ministries and stuff he smiled all the time, played basketball.
"In fact he learned how to, he started shooting basketball, learned how to shoot basketball right here, right I this backyard here, that’s when he started shooting a little basketball. So I saw a lot of that when he was around Christian people. When he was around this ministry.”
Might he be able to make that kind of connection while incarcerated?
“Right. I’m praying for that. I really am.”
Your hopes for him?
“My hopes for him at this particular time is that he really look to the Lord and really get into His word, look towards salvation…I really wanna say I’m hoping that if God was to free him, that he educate himself while he’s there and come back being able to provide for himself and witness to the good news of the Gospel.”
Did he talk to you about the (victim) mother and son?
“I asked, ‘Did you have sex with her?’ He said ‘No I didn’t have sex with her I didn’t do that, that kind of thing.’ And he really, a lot of the times he really didn’t want talk about anything, like, with the case. We really just enjoyed each other father and son, talked about life in general.”
He didn’t want to think about it?
“That’s what I’m thinking, he didn’t want to think about it. Or there may have been a thing where he was told not to talk about it.”
After sitting and listening to all the testimony in the trial, what do you think happened?
"I’m thinking in my mind that my son somehow, he got around these kids and…I don’t think he initiated it, but I think there was probably a burglary or something like that where he may have entered in a home and it started to take place.
"And it was more of a thing where, I don’t think in his mind of mind or in his heart of hearts that he didn’t think all that was gonna happen. It was probably in his heart of hearts where he thought where, ‘Oh, we gonna go in there and get some money and get up out of there,’ that kind of thing.
“And after it probably began to happen, and there probably was some peer pressure that probably kept him there. And he may have been on something at the time probably that helped influence his thought capacity…Because if my son felt his life was in danger he probably would allow something like that to happen.
“And I think after that, he got caught up in the event. And I’m thinking, I’m really looking at the point that where, I don’t think he had no gun. I don’t think he had no gun. He might have covered up his face, that whole situation.”
Did he say anything to you about the woman’s son?
“He just said that he knew, I think he knew the little boy from around being in the neighborhood, that kind of thing. That’s the only thing that I remember that he said.”
His speculation on the allegedly 10 youths’ mindset that night?
“I really can’t, I really can’t answer that question. I don’t know. I really don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out the mindset that they had. I’m still puzzled about any of the kids the mindset that they had, especially my own child. It’s a puzzle to me when it comes down to that.”
Did he have concerns with the case being decided by all-white jurors?
“I felt that there should have been some people that were there that kind of understood the black man’s struggle or the kids’ struggle. I’m feeling that a lot of them haven’t really had no idea, no experience of coming from a minority home, what it’s like.”
He described a stressful situation with his former wife such that, “That’s one of the reasons I got up out of the home. And it felt bad for me to leave my kids there, all of the kids.”
His thoughts regarding the victims of the assault:
“A lot of it was the first time me really actually hearing, in detail, in court, what went on. And I could hardly hold back tears back. And I really, I was telling some friends, I really do, I really do feel for what happened to the mother and the child. Nobody should endure such things.
“I can’t imagine, what was going through the kids’ heads, inflicting that inflict that type of abuse on someone.
“So I really sympathize with what happened to them. My eyes were…my heart was, my heart was broken. Listening to all that, for the first time, my heart was truly broken.”
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Reader Comments (19)
The illiteracy and learning disability defence is pretty worn out. Why didn't Walker jr. seek help himself?
ok, ok, ok. Nathan Sr. admits not being a good father, due to his substance abuse and/or issues with the mother Ruby.
Now we hear about the possibility of Nathan Jr. being "slow" or learning disabled? If that's the case, why didn't his lawyer use that as a "mitigating circumstance" at trial? I HOPE THIS DOES NOT BECOME GROUNDS FOR AN APPEAL.
I am certain Nathan Sr. feels very sorry and heart-broken that all this has happened; I am also certain he feels guilty/responsible for not being a good and present father for his son. Fine. But I was getting a little annoyed when he seems to imply his son got caught up in the moment, with the others, and did these things. But he also seems to be in a bit of denial; he seems to say he doesn't believe his son had the gun. Is he kidding me? Gun or no gun, he did commit these crimes AND he remembers the son from around the neighbor? So knowing someone or being an acquaintance does not stop you from making such a person(s) a target of your crimes? WTH??
Perhaps if I were a parent and my child committed a terrible, terrible crime I'd be in denial as well. But with such evidence and testimony, especially from the mother, there's no room left for any denial. Perhaps over time he wil fully accept his son did these things, period. But that comment about, "I felt that there should have been some people that were there that kind of understood the black man’s struggle or the kids’ struggle." I'm going to leave that alone and walk away . . . for now. :( :(
@TaharkahX
That was a very well written letter. My sentiments, exactly.
@RevMamaAfrika
I also agree with you the father comes across as if he’s trying to minimize the role his son played in the rape of this woman and her son.
At this point, I doubt there will be any type of appeals for a new trial in this case, unless Nathan Walker's public defender was later found to have done an inadequate job of defending him during the trial. I would however suspect there will be continued efforts by his lawyers to try to shorten any prison sentences once they are handed down in October.
Yeah I was also a bit annoyed about the "all-white" jury comment as well.
Learning disability? I think that gets thrown out there when parents don't educate their kids in the basics.
Teacher doesn't teach ABCs...the parents do!
The fact remains that jr was not socialized and was abandoned by one his parents.
and THIS
“I felt that there should have been some people that were there that kind of understood the black man’s struggle or the kids’ struggle. I’m feeling that a lot of them haven’t really had no idea, no experience of coming from a minority home, what it’s like.”
is problematic on so many levels.
Note the universalization (word?) of The Black Man's Struggle and The Minority Experience.
Disgusting.
@ LaJane, yep, I agree that's why I deliberately walked away from that one. :)
This case has caused me to re-think a lot of my previously held opinions on various criminal justice, juvenile justice issues and my faith; can God really heal all kinds of hurts and pain? I never thought I'd see the day when I would have any doubts, but now everything is up for re-assessment. :(
A jury of Nathan's peers who "understood the black man's struggle" would have to be registered voters to be eligible for jury duty. I wonder how many people in that community are registered voters.
It's problematic that Nathan Sr. is just hearing the details of Nathan Jr.'s crimes TWO YEARS after Nathan was apprehended.
It seems like it would be a call-to-action when Nathan Sr, who has substance addiction issues, heard that Nathan Jr. was smoking marijuana and possibly taking pills.
It's interesting that these defendants who sodomized the victim in front of her son might be sodomized while in prison.
No pity, no mercy. African Americans must show these young criminals and the world that we do not condone or encourage savage behavior, no matter the proposed reason. I'm insulted when that they try to put forth the excuse of poverty and illiteracy. Many of us grew up poor, and some of us grew up illiterate, and never would have contemplated such degenerate behavior.
"the black man's struggle"...I just don't want to go there, right now.
What about jurors who understood the Black Woman's Struggle? Huh? Nathan's Mama said she was raped twice as a child a noone did anything about it? You're not struggling if you're PREYING on me!
"The black man's struggle?" WTF? Could somebody please explain to me what the hell "the black man's struggle" has got to do with gang rape, forced incest and attempted murder? They didn't break in that woman's house to steal a loaf of bread and some bologna! The committed an atrocity. A crime against humanity and that doesn't have a goddamned thing to do with "the black man's struggle." What an insult.
And what about "the black woman's struggle?" What about the right you have for you and your child to be safe in your own home? I cannot read anymore of this apologistic fucknuttery.
Every single angle of this story is just heartbreaking. I can't help but to have compassion for all of these people. I wish there was a way to turn back the clock for all these individuals and start over. When you think about the fact that only five years ago this kid was just a 4th grader, a little boy, it's mind boggling to realize that now he's in jail for committing this atrocious crime. Bad childhood defenses are weak, but when a child is actually STILL IN HIS CHILDHOOD, it's hard not to be compelled by their life experiences.
On the flip side, I pray that the the child who was attacked during this crime gets the appropriate support and treatment so HIS life experiences don't prevent him from living the life he deserves. I also pray that his mother gets the care she needs as well. I remember listening to a talk by Bell Hooks sometime ago where she was discussing the idea of community and how when people are faced with tragedies like this shouldn't be expected to uphold themselves but should surrender into a the arms of community. There was a time when "community" was a place to turn to but some, certainly not all, of our communities are not the webs of care the should be.
Therefore, when we think about the lives of these perpetrators and how we can create communities that can better support children who are "at risk" and help keep them on the right path, we also have to start thinking about we create communities that also uphold victims during times like these. It's interesting to listen to people reference the victims tragedy in passing, as if they know the must acknowledge how bad it is, but the REAL problem is what to do about our children. There's no recognition of the fact that they can be a victim next and they will need a community that supports them. Six of these attackers are STILL out there. How can this victim feel safe, vindicated and cared for, if we can't even get those people identified?
@RevMamaAfrika: I believe God can heal anyone who wants to be healed, but everyone doesn't want healing because getting well and staying whole is hard work.
The excuses from this man are atrocious!!!
He couldn't stick around because of his wife....and his own drug use. If things were that bad to begin with how did he THINK his son was going to turn out?
Nathan Jr. still has NOT confessed or come forward with information.
I just hope we won't be hearing about the son who was assaulted committing some heinous crime in the next few years. This cycle must be broken by locking them all up or something....
Once again, it's about the Black Man, and not THE BLACK WOMAN.
Nathan Walker, Sr., is a DBR brotha, just like his spawn.
Forgive me if I give all of this shyt the SIDE EYE.
It's okay if Black Women get raped and shyt, but we make excuses for Black Men who act like the savages we fought so hard against being STEREOTYPED?
Get.The.Hell.Out.Of.Here.With.That.Shyt.
So, Walker, Sr. wasn't around for Walker, Jr. That does not excuse his SPAWN.
I call it SPAWN because human beings give birth to children. This is SPAWN and an ANIMAL lower on the SPECIES than Whale Shyt.
I call Bullshyt on this man's statements. There is no experience about being a Black Man in America that can excuse or explain holding a Black Woman against her will and forcing her to sexually assault her own CHILD.
NONE, I TELL YA!
Lock up this SPAWN UNTIL he turns into a Vegatable. I know Jesus can do miracles, but there is a point where even HE pronounces some people BEYOND SAVING.
"“I asked, ‘Did you have sex with her?’"
Also problematic on so many levels...to refer to rape as "having sex" with someone is ridiculous. Having sex and rape. Two entirely different things. Unfortunately, there are many men who see rape as just "having sex".
If this is how the father thinks about rape, no wonder the son came out the way he did.
@Roslyn Holcomb:
“The black man’s struggle?” WTF? Could somebody please explain to me what the hell “the black man’s struggle” has got to do with gang rape, forced incest and attempted murder? They didn’t break in that woman’s house to steal a loaf of bread and some bologna! The committed an atrocity. A crime against humanity and that doesn’t have a goddamned thing to do with “the black man’s struggle.” What an insult.
And what about “the black woman’s struggle?” What about the right you have for you and your child to be safe in your own home? I cannot read anymore of this apologistic fucknuttery.
THANK YOU
And BTW, for all of the non-apology and lack of empathy/sympathy from Nathan Walker's mother, please note that at least she didn't blame this on "the black woman's struggle".
In fact, rarely, if ever, do you hear black women use this copout statement, no matter how hard our struggle has been.
@ gem2001, sister, is there still a way to contribute to Bro. Hanif covering the trial? The widget or whatever you call it is not there. Is there a PO box or snail mail address to mail a check? Or must one use PayPal?
Thanks . . . and thank you so very much for believing in, fighting for African women and children. :)