YAKIMA, Wash. – The state of Washington Court of Appeals dropped charges against a man who was convicted of escaping the Yakima County jail.
Court documents describe how James Walker, the man who faced the charges, escaped from Yakima County Jail on March 23, 2020. Documents describe how Walker found his way through an annex door breach by other inmates, but was “promptly apprehended.”
Walker was convicted on escape charges after a trial, despite his argument that he wasn’t trying to escape, but just “to get away from the disturbance” because detention officers had released pepper spray in the area.
However, Walker appealed his conviction, arguing that the evidence against him was insufficient.
The appeals court agreed that the prosecution did not present enough sufficient evidence to convict Walker, and overturned his charge of escape.
The appeals court pointed out the lack of details regarding Walker’s detention at the Yakima County Jail in the first place.
“The State, however, failed to present sufficient evidence that Mr. Walker was detained after being arrested for, charged with, or convicted of an offense,” the court of appeals wrote.
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