The Gazebo Gazette
GULFPORT (GG) — Thursday, October 31, 2024, Nelson Walker of Gulfport, was convicted by a Harrison County jury for a robbery that occurred in July 2021. After the jury’s verdict, Circuit Court Judge Lisa Dodson sentenced Walker to the maximum 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
The jury heard that on July 3, 2021, Walker walked into the Circle K located on the corner of 28th Street and Highway 49 saying multiple times “this is a robbery!” Witness testimony and video surveillance showed that Walker then walked to a female clerk, who was cleaning, and began assaulting her.
After assaulting the female employee, Walker then approached a male clerk and told him that he was going to assault the male clerk as well. The male clerk called 911 and went into a back office to wait for police to arrive.
“Video surveillance from inside the store showed that after threatening the male clerk, Walker went behind the register, tried to open the register, but was unable to do so. Walker was then seen taking money that was left on the counter and exiting the Circle K,” said Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell, who prosecuted the case along with Dustin Uselton.
The jury was also presented with evidence that after exiting the store, the Gulfport Police Department responded and located Walker across the street and immediately took him into custody. Walker testified in his own defense telling the jury he did not intend to rob the Circle K and was only going into the store to purchase a drink and a bag of chips.
After deliberating approximately 2 ½ hours, the jury convicted Walker of the robbery. Judge Dodson sentenced Walker to the maximum 15 years to serve which was order to run consecutive to a separate sentence Walker is currently serving.
“I want to first thank the men and women who testified during trial to what they saw that day. These witnesses didn’t ask to be involved, but also knew that in order to have accountability, their testimony was necessary. This defendant needlessly terrorized a convenience store and deserved the 15 year sentence,” said District Attorney W. Crosby Parker.
