‘It only takes 2-3 seconds to send a text’: See why a former Capitol Police officer wants to withdraw his guilty plea in federal civil rights case

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A former Capitol Police officer who pleaded guilty in December to a federal civil rights charge now wants to withdraw his plea and proceed to trial.

Jeffery Walker was scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court on Monday, more than four years after he allegedly abused a handcuffed detainee following a traffic stop.

Instead, Walker, 45, asked U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate to throw out his plea and allow him to find new representation, claiming his current attorney provided ineffective counsel.

[READ: Former Capitol Police officer pleads guilty in federal case]

Wingate postponed the sentencing, and agreed to give Walker’s current attorney, Arthur Calderon, until Wednesday, September 2, to file a motion on his client’s behalf.

He gave prosecutors until Tuesday, September 8 to respond.

Wingate made the decision after receiving an email from Walker over the weekend, detailing his alleged concerns with Calderon’s representation.

Among them, Walker claimed his attorney refused to subpoena witnesses on his behalf and failed to seek evidence that would work in his favor at trial.

He said going to trial without that evidence would be like “shooting fish in a barrel. No one with a brain is going to risk that.”

Walker also alleged that his attorney has failed to communicate with him, and that he has texts and call logs to back that up.

“I just heard from Sunday, and I’ve been trying to get in touch with him since August 15,” Walker said. “It only takes two to three seconds to send a text.”

Walker, meanwhile, said he never injured the victim in the case, but did not say that he did not hit or kick him.

Calderon said he was not aware of the letter and that the only times he’s failed to follow up with his client was during trials in March and August.

“We have maintained contact since I was brought on, with the exception of the murder trial,” Calderon said. “I was made aware by previous counsel that he was trying to get in touch with me on Friday. I was under the weather on Saturday and called him on Sunday.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Payne urged the judge to reject Walker’s motions and move forward with the sentencing, saying that the victim deserves the benefit of a speedy trial.

“The standard to obtain new counsel at this late stage is showing good cause, and the government’s position on the question today is that he has not shown good cause,” Payne said.

He also pointed out that the sentencing date has been postponed at least twice, and that Walker could have brought up his concerns previously.

“A plea on this was entered in 2025. We’ve been before your honor various times. At no point has Mr. Walker or his counsel raised issues on representation,” he said. In fact… when he was asked at the plea hearing if he was satisfied with his counsel, he said, ‘Yes.’”

The July 2022 incident

The incident occurred on July 27, 2022. According to court records, Walker slammed a man’s head into the hood of a car and kicked him multiple times in the face while he was in handcuffs.

The man, identified as E.S. in federal records, allegedly led Walker and three Jackson Police officers on a chase after refusing to pull over for a traffic stop.

E.S., who is believed to be Emmanuel Spells, was later charged with possession of marijuana and failure to stop when an officer signals. However, no movement on his case has occurred since 2022.

Spells, meanwhile, was allegedly in possession of 31 grams of marijuana at the time.

An affidavit shows Walker gave a statement in the case on July 28, 2022.

Walker was indicted in December 2024 on one count of deprivation of civil rights under the color of law in connection with that incident.

He initially pleaded not guilty. However, in December 2025, he changed his plea. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release, plus a $100 special assessment.

Disputed evidence and photos

Walker also provided the judge with three photos of the alleged victim, which he says would have been introduced in his defense had his case gone to trial.

The photos were provided to the former officer by Michael Rhinewalt, Walker’s co-defendant in a state case.

They show a man believed to be Spells sitting on the ground in handcuffs, dressed in a black t-shirt and ripped blue jeans.

Walker contends that the photos show no evidence that he kicked the victim or slammed his head into a police vehicle.

Instead, he said the photos show where Spells had been punched by a Jackson Police officer as he was being pulled out of his vehicle.

A copy of the pre-sentencing report obtained by WLBT states that the injuries occurred after a JPD officer stood him up off the ground.

That’s when Walker allegedly grabbed the victim, slammed his head into his vehicle and repeatedly “struck and kicked E.S…. with his shod foot, even though, as Walker then well knew, E.S. was handcuffed, compliant, and did not pose a threat to anyone.”

Walker also allegedly yelled at Spells, calling him an expletive.

The report goes on to state that the officer “knowingly concealed and covered up the incident by omitting from his report that he slammed [Spells’] head against the hood… and that he struck and kicked [Spells].”

Wingate began questioning Walker about the photos, when Payne interrupted and asked whether he needed to under oath.

After being sworn in, Walker told the judge that everything he said before was true.

Glenda Haynes, an attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jackson, said the photos are “very similar to the video the government has from July 2022.”

She also told the court that the photos show bruising under the victim’s left eye, as well as a dark spot on his forehead, and a cut on his left temple.

The photos, which have been obtained by 3 On Your Side, show bruising under the victim’s eye, but do not show bleeding.

Haynes said other video in the government’s possession reveals that the victim was screaming in pain, saying ‘I’m bleeding from my eye,” and that the photos were likely taken after the victim’s mother wiped his face.

Walker also told the judge his attorney failed to subpoena AMR, which would have shown that the victim refused to receive medical treatment at the scene.

He also said that Spells was admitted to the Hinds County Detention Center that night, and that he would not have been booked if he needed medical attention.

“When AMR shows up and you refuse treatment, you have to sign a refusal with the paramedic,” he said. “That would’ve made a difference.”

A copy of Spells’ mugshot from when he was booked was not available Monday afternoon.

Upcoming state trial

While Wingate decides whether to allow Walker to withdraw his plea, Walker is likely facing at least two other court dates.

On October 5, he and Rhinewalt are expected to go to trial in connection with an August 2022 traffic stop involving Sinatra Jordan and Sherita Harris.

In December 2024, Walker and Rhinewalt were indicted on two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly firing shots at the two during a traffic stop in downtown Jackson.

Harris, who claims she was shot in the head during the incident, filed a complaint against the state in U.S. District Court.

She alleges that the two were near the intersection of State and Amite streets when officers approached on the night of August 14 and opened fire. She says Jordan, who was driving the vehicle, attempted to drive away to “escape the constant firing of bullets.”

Harris said she needed surgery to remove the fragments and has since suffered complications.

[READ: Lawsuit claims woman shot in head during incident with Capitol Police]

That suit is currently on hold while the criminal cases against the two are resolved.

Jordan was initially indicted on one count of felony fleeing law enforcement and two counts of aggravated assault. On March 11, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count and received six months behind bars. As part of the agreement, Jordan was released after receiving credit for time served.

Walker is currently free on a $10,000 bond.

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