CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Michael Walker, accused of killing his girlfriend's 19-month-old child, told the judge Friday he deserves his punishment.
"I just want to say I'm sorry," Walker, his wrists in handcuffs and his legs shackled, said moments before being sentenced. "I can't bring him back. I've got to live with this. I'm embarrassed."
Then he added: "I'm getting what I deserve."
Superior Court Judge Bob Bell sentenced Walker to a minimum of 28 years and a maximum of 36 years in prison.
Walker, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse in connection with the April 2010 killing of Zione Washington. He admitted that the abuse of Shamika Washington's son was especially heinous, atrocious and cruel. That admission exposed him to more prison time.
Walker also pleaded guilty to felony child abuse of Shamika Washington's 21/2-year-old son, Michael.
Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorney Gabrielle Macon told the judge that Shamika Washington had gone out about 2 a.m. April 12 to buy a pack of cigarettes. When she got back to the apartment, on Teal Point Drive off North Sharon Amity Road, she took a 15-minute shower. She then entered the bedroom and noticed Zione lying on his back. Vomit was coming from his nose, his lips were blue and he was not breathing.
Washington began CPR and told her boyfriend to call 911.
As Medic emergency personnel approached the apartment about 3 a.m., Walker came toward them with Zione in his arms. The child was transported to Presbyterian Hospital. Both Medic and hospital staff saw what appeared to be bruising on Zione, Macon said. Zione never regained a pulse or began breathing and was pronounced dead at 3:25 a.m.
Macon told the judge that Walker confessed to beating Zione. The prosecutor said that Walker, when confronted with photographs of the child's injuries, told detectives that Zione had started crying after Washington left the apartment.
Walker recalled telling Zione to go back to sleep but got frustrated and hit him with a plastic bowling pin and on the chest several times with an open hand and closed fist, Macon said.
He said he then pulled the covers over Zione and went back to watching TV.
Macon told the judge that Zione had bruises on his face, chest, abdomen and forehead. Detectives found three plastic bowling pins in the bedroom closet, the prosecutor said. One of them was crushed.
Shamika Washington wasn't at the sentencing of her son's killer. Macon told the judge that Zione's mother had moved to Georgia and authorities had been unable to contact her.
Defense attorney Susan Weigand told the judge that Walker was intoxicated and had been smoking marijuana on the night of Zione's killing. She said Walker told police that Zione's mother had nothing to do with her child's death.
"Mr. Walker is a very tormented soul," Weigand said. "He is extremely sorry."
