By Brad Kellar
Commerce – A Commerce family is awarded millions in the wrongful death lawsuit of a code enforcement officer.
Adam Kelly Ward received the death penalty following his conviction in the 2005 shooting death of Michael "Pee Wee" Walker.
In June, 2007, Michael's father, Richard A. Walker, filed a suit on behalf of his son and Walker's two children. The suit alleged Adam Kelly Ward and his father, Ralph Beck Ward, were negligent in causing the events which led to Walker's murder.
During a hearing Monday, a default judgment was granted to the Walkers, as Adam Ward had never responded to the suit, in the amount of $1 million in actual damages, $5 million in exemplary damages, $15,000 in attorney's fees and interest. Ralph Beck Ward had previously settled his case with the Walker family.
On June 13, 2005, Micheal "Pee Wee" Walker was taking photos of code violations at the home where the Wards lived on Caddo Street in Commerce when he and Adam Ward had an altercation which ended with Walker being shot multiple times.
The suit claimed that both Ralph and Adam Ward incited the conflict that day and that Ralph Ward "intentionally and/or negligently provoked and provided direction" to his son prior to the shooting.