The Commission on Capital Cases updates thisinformation regularly.  This information; however, is subject to changeand may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not berelied upon for statistical or legal purposes. 

WALKER II, Robert S (W/M)

DC#    126605   

DOB: 12/20/71

­­­Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Brevard County Case #03-CF-32520

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Charles Holcomb

Attorney, Trial: Kenneth Studstill

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Baya Harrison – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Marie-Louise Samuels Parmer,Maria Deliberato, & Nathaniel Plucker – CCRC-M

Date of Offense: 01/27/03

Date of Sentence: 12/13/04

Circumstances of Offense:

Robert Walker was convicted and sentenced to death for thedrug-related beating, kidnapping, and murder of David Hamman.

On the evening of 01/26/03, David Hamman, Leslie Ritter, andLoriann Gibson arrived at the apartment of Joel Gibson in the city of Palm Bayin Brevard County, Florida.  Already inside were Gibson, Walker, and hisgirlfriend, Leigh Ford.  Immediately following the arrival, Walker andFord attacked Hamman beating him with various objects including a metal Magliteflashlight and a blackjack.  Suspecting Hamman to be a Drug EnforcementAdministration (DEA) agent, the couple forced Hamman and his companions tostrip off their clothes in order to search for wires.  After the search, Ritterand Loriann Gibson were confined to the back bedroom and Walker and Fordcontinued the attack, which lasted two to three hours.

Sometime around midnight, Hamman escaped the apartment andran a short distance down the road before being caught by Walker and Ford. The couple laid a tarp in the trunk of Ford’s car and forced Hamman to getin.  Driving separately, Ford in her car and Walker in Hamman’s pickuptruck, the couple reconvened at the Tom Lawton Recreation Area, a statepark.  Upon arrival, Hamman was forced, hands bound, to lie down with hisback to the ground.  Walker then shot Hamman six times in the face with aLlama .45-caliber pistol.

Upon returning to the apartment, Walker asked Loriann Gibsonand Ritter to drive him to Georgia in Hamman’s truck.  They acquiesced,driving him as far as Live Oak, Florida, before leaving him at a gas stationwhen he exited the vehicle to purchase a map.  The two women then alerteda law enforcement officer of the events that had transpired the night before. Walker’s description was released and he was apprehended that morning at theLive Oak bus station.

Walker’s recorded confession of shooting Hamman was playedfor the jury at trial.  Loriann Gibson and Leslie Ritter also providedtestimony in court.

Codefendant Information:

Leigh Ford

Leigh Ford, convicted of First-Degree Murder, Kidnapping,and Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, is currently serving two lifesentences and a 15-year sentence.

Additional Information:

Walker is bipolar, according to the Initial Brief ofAppellant.

Trial Summary:

01/28/03         Indicted as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder

                                   Count II:         Kidnapping

                                   Count III:        Aggravated Battery

07/27/04         Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment.

07/28/04         Jury recommended death by a vote of 7-5.

12/13/04         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder – Death

                                   Count II:         Kidnapping – 30 years

                                   Count III:        Aggravated Battery – 15years

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 04-2381

957 So.2d 560

01/04/05         Appeal filed

05/03/07         FSC affirmed conviction and death sentence

05/25/07         Mandate issued

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC# 03-CF-32520

07/11/08         Motion filed

07/16/09         Evidentiary Hearing Held

03/08/10          Motion granted in part/denied in part

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Motion Appeal

FSC# 10-638

(Pending)

04/08/10          Appeal filed by Walker

04/08/10          Cross-appeal filed by State

Case Information:

On 01/04/05, Walker filed a direct appeal to the FloridaSupreme Court.  In his direct appeal, Walker raised seven issuespertaining to pretrial motions, the constitutionality of Florida’s deathpenalty, circumstantial evidence, the weighing of aggravating and mitigatingfactors, and the admission of potentially irrelevant and prejudicialphotographic evidence.  The issues were found to have no merit or notsupported by evidence.  The conviction and death sentence were affirmed bythe Florida Supreme Court on 05/03/07.  The Mandate was issued 05/25/07.

On 07/11/08, Walker filed a 3.851 Motion to Vacate Judgmentand Sentence in the Circuit Court.  On 07/16/09 an Evidentiary Hearing washeld. The Circuit Court granted the motion in part and denied the motion inpart on 03/08/10.

On 04/08/10, Walker filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with theFlorida Supreme Court.  The State filed a cross-appeal on 04/08/10.  Thisappeal is pending.

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Report Date:  08/29/07          AEH

Approved:      08/29/07          RM

Updated:        04/13/10          MJH