Kim Walker is out of prison and back in Yorkton - at least for now.
The father convicted of second-degree murder for the 2003 killing of his daughter's boyfriend has been released on bail pending his new trial.
Last month, Walker successfully appealed his conviction on the basis of two closed meetings held between counsel and the judge during his trial. During the meetings, the trial judge reportedly enquired about the defense's plans and expressed her opinion on the case. The Court of Appeal declared the error a violation of Walker's right to be present during his entire trial and granted him a new trial on June 30.
The next step was a bail hearing, held last week at the Regina Court of Queen's Bench. Justice Murray Acton agreed with Walker's lawyer that the 53-year-old is unlikely to be a flight or safety risk, given the personal nature of his crime and his time spent released without incident before his original trial.
Walker's bail was granted under some standard conditions. Among them: he must stay away from alcohol, drugs, and weapons; he must surrender his passport; he must live with family members in Yorkton; and he must not speak about the case with his daughter, Jadah-now 23 and one of her father's strongest supporters.
The case will be back in a Yorkton courtroom on November 3, but a new trial date has not been set. Walker will eventually face a murder charge once again.
