A federal jury found a man guilty Thursday for severely beating and strangling his pregnant niece in July 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Kenneth Dale Walker, 54, of Collinsville, was convicted of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
“Kenneth Walker viciously attacked his pregnant niece in her own home, endangering the victim and her unborn child,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office will continue to prosecute domestic crimes of violence to seek justice on behalf of the victims. I am proud of the dedicated work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Paisner and Stacey Todd, the FBI, and Collinsville Police Department that led to Mr. Walker’s conviction.”
On July 14, 2021, Walker started an argument with his pregnant niece when she refused to provide him a set of keys to her home due to his recent erratic behavior at her home. During the argument about the keys, Walker headbutted his niece. Walker then shoved the victim down into a recliner, causing the recliner to flip backward and the victim’s head to collide with a small table. He stood over the victim and repeatedly kicked the pregnant victim in the stomach. The victim turned her body defensively to protect the unborn child, causing him to instead kick her upper thighs. Walker also lunged at her and attempted to gouge her eyes with his thumbs. He then strangled the victim to the point she saw spots, could not breathe, and thought she and her unborn child would die.
The only thing that stopped Walker’s attack was the victim’s boyfriend who entered the room after overhearing the commotion and saw Walker strangling the victim. When the boyfriend pried Walker off the victim, Walker tried to drag the victim by her hair with him. After the victim was freed, Walker left the home.
The victim and her boyfriend called 911, and the Collinsville Police Department responded to the scene. The victim was taken to the emergency room where she was treated.
Based on interviews with the victim, her medical records, photographs of her initial injuries, and the police reports, a medical expert for the prosecution determined that during the assault, the victim had sustained multiple contusions and abrasions to her neck, face, and back; she experienced the prolonged obstruction of blood flow to her brain, impairing her brain function; her ability to breath was compromised due to the strangulation; and she had sustained a concussion. The expert concluded and testified that the victim’s injuries were serious and the result of a near-fatal strangulation.
In addition to Thursday’s federal conviction, Walker has been convicted of assault and battery three times, domestic assault and battery three times, violation of a protective order, and further convicted of various drug and gun offenses in the state of Oklahoma.
The FBI and Collinsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah D. Paisner and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.
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