Corey Walker, one of the four suspects charged in Pop Smoke’s murder, will remain behind bars indefinitely.
According to the Shade Room’s reporting, a Los Angeles County judge denied the 20-year-old’s request for bail after prosecutors argued his case “was not applicable for bail based on the letter of the law.”
Judge Curtis B. Rappe ultimately agreed, and ordered Walker to remain in custody pending trial.
Walker was arrested in July 2020, after he and three others allegedly carried out an armed robbery that left Pop Smoke dead at age 20. The incident occurred on Feb. 19 of that year in an L.A.-area home the Brooklyn artist was renting. Prosecutors say Walker “scouted” the residence just hours before the home invasion, and was aware his co-defendants planned to rob Pop Smoke at gunpoint.
At around 4:30 a.m., a group of men broke into the home and shot Pop Smoke multiple times in the torso, before allegedly fleeing the scene with a gold watch and other jewelry. The rapper—born Bashar Barakah Jackson—was rushed to the hospital shortly after, and underwent surgery on the left side of his chest. Doctors were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead hours later.
Keandre Rodgers was also charged in connection to the murder, along with two juveniles ages 15 and 17. The youngest suspect allegedly confessed to his involvement in the murder, telling his cellmate—who was actually a police plant—that he had fired the deadly shots.
The two juveniles were each charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery. Walker and Rodgers were charged with murder with a special circumstance allegation, which made them eligible for the death penalty; however, the L.A. District Attorney’s office announced this year they will not seek the death sentence.
