Today the re-election campaign of Rep. Nelson issued a statement about Collin Walke’s dangerous positions on violent crime.
“Collin Walke continues to conduct a campaign to deliberately mislead voters by distorting Representative Jason Nelson’s record because Collin Walke does not want the people of House District 87 to know he is soft on violent crime,” said Nelson’s campaign spokesperson Hannah Morris.
Carolyn Terry is the mother of a son who was murdered and is one of Rep. Nelson’s constituents. She has endorsed Rep. Nelson publicly for his strong support for victims of violent crime.
“Jason’s opponent, Collin Walke, has led efforts to reduce the sentences of criminals on death row,” Terry said. “My child was brutally murdered at a car wash in Warr Acres so this is very personal to me and it should be for the voters in Jason’s district as well. We must put the rights of the victims first and Jason has done this consistently.”
Terry also pointed out that Rep. Nelson has been repeatedly recognized by the District Attorneys Association for fighting against violent crime. She has also recorded an automated call so voters can hear her story and her endorsement of Nelson. A copy of that call accompanies this release.
Collin Walke was the 2013-2014 Chairman of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP) until stepping down to run for public office. Speaking generally about convicted murderers on death row, Walke said in June 2013, “…I have personally seen how each one of us has redeeming qualities.”
In at least two specific instances, Collin Walke led the effort to reduce the sentences for convicted violent criminals on death row. Collin Walke led a statewide lobbying effort to reduce the sentence for convicted murderer and rapist Brian Darrell Davis. Davis was convicted by a jury and sentenced to death row for the brutal 2001 rape and murder of his girlfriend’s mother. In June 2013, Walke called a press conference pleading with the Governor to deny justice to the victim’s family. Collin Walke also advocated reducing the sentence of James Lewis DeRosa. DeRosa was convicted by a jury for the 2000 heinous double murder of an elderly couple. Collin Walke tried to stop this double murderer’s execution and called it, “…yet another state-sanctioned murder.”
“It is shameful and appalling that Collin Walke has a demonstrated record of lobbying for reduced sentences of convicted violent criminals on death row, rather than fighting for justice and the rights of victims of violent crime and their families,” Morris continued.
“Those values do not represent the voters of House District 87, and they do not represent the values of Oklahoma. The voters have a right to know the distinct differences between the candidates: one that has fought for the victims of crime each year he has served at the Legislature,and one that has fought to reduce the sentences of convicted violent criminals on death row,” stated Morris.
“We have every confidence the voters of HD 87 will see past the smokescreen being promoted by Collin Walke and the dark money groups that have inundated the district with distortions and outright lies. We know the voters here will take time to look at the facts. The facts clearly show lawyer Collin Walke focuses on the rights of criminals while Jason Nelson stands-up and fights for victims of crime,” Morris continued.
