Corey Walker, the only adult charged in the murder of Pop Smoke, issued an apology to the late rapper’s family before being sentenced to 29 years in prison on Friday (February 21). According to Rolling Stone, Walker pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery, along with multiple gun and gang-related enhancements.
During his statement in a Los Angeles courtroom, Walker expressed remorse for his role in the 2020 killing and thanked his defense attorneys, Kellen Davis and Deion Benjamin, for helping him avoid a harsher punishment.
“Even though the Jackson family isn’t here in court today, I would like to sincerely apologize for my unforgivable actions,” Walker said. “Although there’s no apology that amounts to the taking of someone’s life. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my family for the pain and embarrassment that they have endured over the last five years, as well as an apology to my community.”
He continued, “Today I take responsibility for my dreadful partake in these crimes. And as I begin my road to rehabilitation, I assure you that I will steer clear from negative behavior.”
Pop Smoke, born Bashar Jackson, was killed on February 19, 2020, in a Los Angeles Airbnb during a targeted home invasion. Walker, who drove three teenage co-defendants to the property, was initially facing a murder charge that could have resulted in a life sentence without parole. However, his plea deal reduced the charge to manslaughter.
Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams emphasized Walker’s central role in the crime, stating, “Corey Walker was not an innocent participant in any of this. He was the mastermind ringleader in the planning, driving, and provision of weapons to minors.”
For Pop Smoke’s mother, the sentencing offers little closure. “It’s over for everybody except for me,” she told Rolling Stone. “This never ends for me. And that’s unfair. I’m grateful that the culprits were caught. I appreciate they got justice to the fullest extent of the law. But my life doesn’t change. I still don’t have my son. I will continue to work on his legacy, but that’s also a constant reminder that he’s not here.”