After almost five years since New York rapper Pop Smoke, 20, was murdered during a home invasion, his family is finally receiving justice. Corey Walker was the only adult defendant during the deadly attack, and now, he’s accepted a deal to spend the next decades of his life behind bars.
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On Wednesday (Feb. 5), the 24-year-old pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles court. Because of the plea, Walker will serve 29 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery, according to Hot 97.
Authorities revealed Walker and three juvenile defendants tracked Pop Smoke’s address from a gift bag posted on Instagram before breaking into the California Airbnb in February 2020. The rapper— real name Bashar Barakah Jackson— was shot multiple times during the confrontation between him and the intruders, according to officials. A female victim present for the attack was also robbed and physically assaulted.
At the time of the deadly home invasion, Walker was only 19 years old. The other three assailants were 15, 17, and 18, according to ABC News. The 18-year-old, Keandre Rodgers, was the first to plead guilty in 2023, The Root previously reported.
Pop Smoke’s mother, Audrey Jackson, reacted to the news of Walker’s plea saying although the court did their job, nothing can erase the pain of losing her son. “This never ends for me. And that’s unfair,” she told Rolling Stone reporter Nancy Dillion. “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.”
The original trial for the 24-year-old defendant was scheduled to continue next week, with jury selection already underway, according to Hot 97. Walker is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 21, according to court records. His lawyer, Kellen Davis, claims Walker never meant for Jackson to be killed.
“All of the evidence supports this position,” Davis told Billboard. “As confident as we were of an acquittal on the murder charge, under California law, sentencing enhancements could have led to life in prison for robbery or burglary.” He continued saying, “This case highlights a system that can impose extreme penalties on young men for crimes they did not directly commit. Given the circumstances, this is the best possible outcome for our client.”
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