According to court records, Ketchikan’s police chief was charged with felony assault for an alleged September incident.
Jeff Walls, Ketchikan Police Chief, faces one felony and five misdemeanor criminal charges. The most serious charge against Jeff Walls is third-degree assault, which refers to injuring another person with a dangerous tool. He is also facing charges of reckless endangerment and fourth-degree assault.
A class C felony of third degree assault carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
A Ketchikan grand jury indicted Walls on Thursday. Additional details regarding the incident were not available in court documents. Jay Hochberg, Walls’ attorney, was able to answer questions. Jay stated that the incident began when an intoxicated guest at Salmon Falls Resort north Ketchikan “crashed into Chief Walls” and his wife while they were sitting at the bar. He said that the incident left them both bruised and in pain.
“Chief Walls determined that the man had been assaulted and ordered him to be taken into custody. As a victim of a crime, he has the right to use reasonable force in order to detain someone who has just assaulted him. He did exactly that. Hochberg stated that he did not do anything wrong in a telephone interview on Thursday.
In September, the man, a Washington resident, was arrested for misdemeanor fourth degree assault and other lesser offenses. According to court records, the case against him was dropped by the authorities the month after.
Hochberg claims Walls intends to plead not guilty. Hochberg said that Walls plans to plead not guilty to the charges.
“In essence, Chief Walls has been formally accused by the state of using excessive force at that point.” This accusation is false. Hochberg stated that while I consider this prosecutor to be an honest individual, I believe he is proceeding based upon a fundamental misinterpretation of both the facts of Alaska and the law.
After serving 24 years as the New Orleans Police Department’s chief of police, Walls was resigned as the commander for a district that included parts of the French Quarter.
Walls will be arraigned before Judge Katherine Lybrand of Ketchikan Superior court at 11 a.m. on Friday. KRBD will be there.
