Shooting victim could make for tough witness

If the case against a man accused of attempted murder in connection with the shooting of a woman last month in Okanagan Falls is “really going to rise and fall on the civilian witnesses,” the Crown could have a challenge on its hands.

The Herald has confirmed the alleged shooting victim, identified in court documents as Jodie Walker, is the same woman who in 2018 clammed up on the witness stand while testifying in an unrelated case against a man accused of kidnapping her.

The new case involving Walker arose late on Aug. 6, when police were called to a report of shots fired at a home near the corner of Maple Street and 10th Avenue.

Police at the time said the alleged female victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the alleged shooter was located and arrested by the Southeast District Emergency Response Team.

Police also said the alleged victim and shooter knew each other and there was no threat to public safety.

The alleged shooter is Richard Cody Graham, 39, who appeared in provincial court in Penticton on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to six charges: attempted murder; aggravated assault; discharging a firearm with intent to maim, wound or endanger life; possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose; possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order; and possession of a firearm without a licence.

Graham, who’s still behind bars awaiting a bail hearing, requested a jury trial in B.C. Supreme Court.

Defence counsel James Pennington told the court he has asked the Crown to make six civilian witnesses, including Walker, available for a preliminary inquiry ahead of trial.

“The case is really going to rise and fall on the civilian witnesses,” said Pennington.

Walker, at least, has shown herself to be an unreliable witness.

In 2018, she was due to serve as the Crown’s star witness at the trial of Afshin Ighani, who was accused of kidnapping Walker and her then-boyfriend in 2017.

Once she got on the witness stand, however, Walker — whose appearance in court was compelled by a warrant — claimed to have no memory of the incident and even claimed not to recognize herself on a video recording of a statement she gave to police. Ighani was later acquitted of all charges.