Appeal denied in murder case

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2001 | 8:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A Las Vegas man convicted with his cousin of killing his 17-year-old girlfriend has lost his appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The court on Tuesday upheld the second-degree murder conviction of Christian D. Walker, who was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison and is eligible for parole after 20 years.

Maureen McConaha was found in the desert in October 1997 after being shot four times in the head. Walker's cousin Johnny Walker Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to two life terms. He is eligible for parole after 40 years.

Walker maintained that his conviction should be overturned because District Judge Donald Mosley declined to instruct the jury regarding a verdict of a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Walker said the evidence showed the relationship between the two was mistrustful and highly volatile, and that supported a defense theory that, at one point, Walker snapped emotionally and killed McConaha.

The court said Walker was "not entitled to a manslaughter instruction because there was no evidence that appellant (Walker) was subjected to a sudden irresistible impulse without acts of deliberation between the provocation and the shooting."

"Rather, the evidence showed that appellant (Walker) had repeatedly been violent and insulting to the victim with no provocation," the court said.

The court also rejected Walker's claim that improper testimony was permitted at the trial.

Law enforcement officials said Walker killed McConaha to prevent her from telling police that he was responsible for spraying graffiti. Police were seeking him in connection with the alleged vandalism.