Ebony Walker’s Story

by Charlie Zink

 

 

 

Upon meeting Ebony Walker for the first time, one is struck by his size. He is a big man, a very big man, standing 6’ 3” and weighing around 330 pounds. Some say he’s as big as a bear. You would never know this large, gentle man with an engaging Al Roker smile spent over 20 years behind bars. “I’ve always been big, even as a kid” said Walker, “and my size landed me in prison.”

 

At the time of the crime, he was the biggest and youngest in a group of teens and adults in their mid-20s – including an older brother. The group was responsible for a murder in an eastside Detroit neighborhood. They knew he was a juvenile with diminished mental capacity who stuttered heavily when talking. They told the police that Ebony committed the crime, knowing he wouldn’t talk because of his stuttering. Since he was in his teens, the others thought he would spend a short time in a juvenile detention facility and be released when he reached adult age. Unfortunately that wasn’t the way it worked out.

 

Arrested at age 16 for the murder, he was held in custody until age 17. He was then tried as an adult for the crime and was convicted of 2^nd degree murder. He was sentenced to serve 20-40 years in prison. At the time of the murder Walker was functioning at a 5 to 6 year-old level. He didn’t realize what was happening to him. “I still don’t understand what happened that day,” said Walker in a recent interview.

 

Because of his mental handicap and his constant stuttering, Walker did not testify at his trial. The prosecutor, defense attorney and court officials were all aware of his special needs, and they knew he was sitting in court listening to the proceedings as a child. Yet, he was still tried and convicted of 2^nd degree murder and sent to prison.

 

When the 6’ 3” Walker arrived at the penitentiary, officials were concerned with the possibility of violent outbursts from him. Therefore he was heavily medicated and basically functioned in a “zombie” mode. Once psychological testing was given, Walker was deemed a special needs inmate and, for his own safety, was isolated from the general prison population.

The prison psychologist placed Walker in the prison’s Residential Treatment Program where he was taught how to function as a normal adult within the prison. At the same time, his medication doses were reduced and he slowly came back to life.

 

Walker basically grew up in the penal system. He entered at age 17, but was functioning as a child. Because of his 5-6 year-old mental capacity he was trained in fundamental day-to-day living duties, hygiene, communication, daily work expectations and many of life’s basic needs…things we all take for granted. While serving his sentence, both of his parents died within 10 days of each other. That event was devastating to Walker because he wasn’t there for them and felt he should have been. “I loved my parents,” he said, “but at least I was allowed to attend both funerals.”

 

While in prison, Walker saved the life of a corrections officer who had suffered a heart attack. Being a strong man, he scooped the guard up and ran him to the prison medical center where his life was saved. “It was a natural reaction. I didn’t even think about it,” said Walker. Shortly after, he was released from prison after serving 21 years, based on a letter of recommendation from the warden of Jackson State Prison. The warden’s letter detailed Walker’s heroic, life-saving actions.

 

Walker was released to a brother and lived with him for 2 months. During that time he was in contact with various community service agencies that were trying to help him secure Social Security benefits, medication sources, housing, etc. He had no income, no job or job prospects, so his brother evicted him. Walker was now homeless.

 

In his travels through many agencies, he came in contact with a psychologist who recommended that he stop taking his medications. Walker realized this wasn’t right and knew he needed them to function.

Having had brief contact with Southwest Solutions after he was released from prison, Walker then returned to their Woodward Avenue location seeking help. There he was assigned to caseworker advocate Janet Turner, who listened with great interest to his story. She knew Walker was entitled to Social Security benefits, Medicaid, shelter, and outplacement counseling.

 

While Turner began the lengthy process of securing benefits for him, Walker’s troubles continued. Upon moving into a Neighborhood Service Organization shelter, his medications wore off. He suffered panic and asthma attacks and turned violent. Police were called, and Walker was taken to St. John Hospital psychiatric unit. Two factors had sparked the violence — the lack of medication and the security bars on the windows at the shelter. The bars brought back terrible memories of prison.

 

Once released from the hospital, he was not allowed back in the shelter because he was deemed “dangerous and abusive.” He was sent to Detroit Receiving Hospital where he was administered the necessary medications. Upon his release from Receiving, Walker returned to a shelter run by Metro Emergency Services. He was there for approximately three weeks when he was told, “You have two hours to leave because we are closing today!” Once again, Ebony Walker was homeless. Luckily, he was able to stay with a friend of his mother and spent two weeks there.

 

Meanwhile, Turner continued to work on Walker’s behalf. In her quest, she discovered that he had been denied services from the Managed Care Provider Network because of his murder conviction. Furthermore, Turner said they considered Ebony “delusional and irrational, which wasn’t true.” In reality, “he simply was not taking the necessary medication because he had no medical insurance” added Turner. It was becoming quite clear that the system was failing him.

 

A grievance was filed at the state level seeking benefits for him and won, but the benefits were still held up. Working with Julie Woodhouse at Helping Hands, Turner elevated Walker’s case to Senator Debbie Stabenow. Stabenow ruled that he was entitled to Social Security benefits and had them enacted.

 

Once Turner worked her way through the many layers of bureaucracy, the financial issues were resolved, and Walker‘s Social Security Insurance (SSI) benefits kicked in. Using the benefits, Walker was now able to pay rent and moved into a Self Determination (independent living) apartment, his first apartment ever. In addition to the SSI benefits, he began receiving Medicare, and thanks to Turner, Social Security survivorship benefits due to his mother’s death.

 

Having no contact with family members, Walker and Turner have formed a close bond, almost family-like, since their paths crossed in April of 2008. She likes to kid him about the invisible umbilical cord that seems to hold them together. “Because of his size, Ebony appears intimidating, but in reality, he’s a big teddy bear,” she said.

 

Although her job duties have changed, Walker still meets weekly with Turner to discuss concerns they may have. Through Southwest Solutions Walker is being taught basic everyday living functions such as grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, etc.

 

Walker is currently employed at Mariners Inn near downtown Detroit. While working under contract through the Jewish Vocational Services, he was placed at Mariners as a cook. When the contract expired, Walker was hired on as a full-time assistant cook. According to Turner, he is a hard working, valued employee that has never missed a day. “I get up at 4 a.m. to catch four different busses to get there by 6 a.m.,” said Walker. “I love my job, and Chef Ken and Shantel Jenkens (both of Mariners) like what I do.” He added.

 

What does the future hold for Walker? He wants to get his GED, followed by a driver’s license and ultimately start his own cleaning business. Southwest Solutions has started him on the path to a normal life, and with luck and guidance, he will succeed. In the meantime he continues to work, and talks with Turner on a regular basis to be sure he’s on the right track to total rehabilitation.

 

“JT (Turner) is like an angel, I don’t do anything without her support,” said Walker grinning like Roker. “If it wasn’t for her, I would have been victimized again,” he added.

 

####