
Joe Walker of Mammoth Lakes
According to the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office, Joe Walker of Mammoth Lakes has entered guilty pleas to 5 felony counts out of 21 sex-related charges lodged against him by the Santa Barbara DA. The pleas took place in court on Friday. The amended criminal complaint filed against Walker described a situation over two years in which both he and Dr. Andrew Bourne had sexual relations with a Santa Barbara teenager when she was 14 and 15. Charges were related to that victim.
Walker pled guilty to two counts of lewd acts upon a child of 14, one count of unlawful contact with a child with the intent to commit a sex crime, two counts of lewd acts upon a child of 15, oral copulation of a person under 16, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The amended complaint and plea form filed with the court on Friday described instances over a two year period in which Walker engaged in sexual intercourse with the teenager and encouraged his friend, Dr. Andrew Bourne to do the same. The documents related Walker’s basis for his plea, including statements that he had encouraged Andrew Bourne and the young victim to have sex. The amended complaint named instances of sexual intercourse involving the victim and Walker and the victim and Bourne in Santa Barbara, Mammoth Lakes and other locations. The amended complaint alleged that Walker told Bourne that “Something like this happens once in a lifetime, …and you need to take it to the next level…you need to get physical with Jane Doe.” The complaint goes on to allege that Andrew Bourne told Detective Hunter that “part of the reason he became physical with Jane Doe was because the defendant (Walker) encouraged him to. The complaint also says that Walker suggested Bourne hire Jane Doe as a nanny for the summer in Mammoth Lakes.
Deputy DA in Santa Barabara, Mary Barron, said that Walker will be sentenced on June 1st to “5 years in state prison and must register for life as a sex offender. “Barron also said, “Walker remains out of jail on own recognizance release. Because of his early admission of guilt,” she said, “the plea bargain spared the victim from having to come to court and testify at trial.”
Read the account from KEYT News of Santa Barbara at http://www.keyt.com/news/local/Mammoth-Lakes-Businessman-Who-Had-Sexual-Relations-With-Girl-Enters-Plea—142120013.html .
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They aren’t pedophiles. Pedophiles are attracted to prepubescent children. If you are going to label them do so correctly. What they did was have inappropriate contact with a minor. Which in Bourne’s case would have been legal in 31 states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America
Numbskulls:
OK, let’s play by your rules.
The MARRIED and FATHER of TWO CHILDREN, Dr. Andrew Bourne, had a SEXUAL AFFAIR with a 14 YEAR OLD UNDER AGE MINOR GIRL which in the State of California is ILLEGAL. and considered a FELONY OFFENSE.
We would add – according to the Santa Barbara District Attorney and police and according to Joe Walker.
Benett Kessler
Boy you just don’t like the truth now do you.
I have not said anything rude, defamatory, obscene , inflammatory , or any other mean statement. I have legitimately criticized the statements and defamatory statements of others.
You just need to delete my post!
It’s your website Benett however I don’t understand why you cannot handle the debate!
Dear Mr. or Miss Fed Up, I don’t care to debate tedious posts that have no real point.
Benett Kessler
I didn’t say it wasn’t illegal in CA. Clearly sound judgment wasn’t a strong suit with either of them.
According to reports and (alleged)confessions from BOTH “men”,the girl was 14 when these guys molested her….numbskull…..
Read the articles “Over the course of time, Bourne had sexual intercourse with the girl about six times in 2010. ” She was not 14 in 2010. Note I’m not condoning the actions, it is clearly immoral and wrong, but at least get the info right.
Alleged sexual activity YOU get it right!
It’s not my job to fact check the news articles. You GET IT RIGHT.
Diddler
My question is how would you feel if a 14 year old Jane doe brought a gun to school and killed her peers? Even if she was coerced by an adult to commit these crimes, most would feel that Jane doe was at fault. Walker and bourne deserve to be punished, but there are others at fault who will ultimately feel the impact of their actions or lack there of. This is a terrible situation and we, as a community, have all been hurt. Have compassion for the families of all involved, and hope for the best for Jane doe, who will live with this perceived weight for the rest of her life. I hope for understanding and compassion.
Ken,
There are laws and procedures to protect the victim (the family name is not published, for example).
Most criticism I’ve read toward the victim and her family have been from people who still believe the two accused are completely innocent. A sad issue – that reasoning and facts are slow to change naivety and the refusal to accept that even some of the “best” people have flaws.
“innocents that surround the perpetrators”… so your intent is protecting the innocent family members of the accused? Well, this is sad as they are, for the most part, innocent (especially the kids).
“There is no reason to destroy whole families or set the members of the community at each others throats.” Ok, again our LAWS are not doing this, people’s reaction to these events are what’s doing this. That’s precisely why Sierra Wave tries to keep a “moderated” forum.
My last point – I’m certain the alternative of sweeping this whole mess under the rug and not reporting the facts is not better for the rest of the community.
We live in a FREE SOCIETY – with that comes a certain exposure when crimes are committed; people will learn dirty secrets about their friends, neighbors, co-workers, even their family. The true measure of a civilized society is how we react, respond, and the actions that follow.
Those involved need counseling, therapy, lots of support from friends and community, and whatever else is needed to move forward with their lives.
What is important is that we continue to talk about it, in a civil manner. It’s probably prudent we hold the emotional and irrational thoughts and statements to ourselves and close friends/family. I think the local media has a RESPONSIBILITY to report the news and the facts as they are available. Say what you want about this forum, but I think in the end, society as a whole is better off with (moderated) dialogue such as this. It is the world we live in, it has pitfalls for sure, but life can often be raw.
I agree totally and acknowledge that my views are too personal and probably not applicable to the whole community — not appropriate for all individuals in the community.
I admit to wanting to be under a rug hiding from all of this. I don’t even know why I say anything about these awful events. It’s the first time I’ve even come close to something like this and I guess I just don’t know how to deal with it. I’ve made a lot of bad judgments in my statements here and I regret them. But the past can’t be undone.
I’m sorry for any and all of my offenses to anyone who has been offended by what I say. I know you all must feel as bad about this mess as I do.
Right on Ken, I’m with ya. As I said, I won’t comment on this story no more, it doesn’t seem to matter much to say how you feel, because some will say you’re defending them and or saying what they did was OK, we know it isn’t OK Ken, what happened.
I think we backed this truck up as far as we can. Time to let it go and know what you are trying to say is right, if it can’t be received in the right light, then we just have to move on.
Ken,
Welcome to the world and humanity. This is what happens when people as have, live in a protected little fantasy world as they do here in Mammoth Lakes and the realities of the rest of world hit home.
Reality.
To Ken Warner;
We’ve all read your posts here. It’s obvious in YOUR mind that these men were persecuted. I feel they were duly prosecuted.
There is a world of difference between our opinions.
I’m sorry. It was an error in phasing that I should have corrected. I was wrong to be flippant. You are right.
right on,Benett.
Ken, laws do not always PREVENT the crimes they are attributed. Laws are written to enforce restitution and punishment.
In some instances, when the media exposes and covers high profile cases such as this one, laws/trial process/sentencing may act as a future deterrent. See Bryce Carter’s good post above.
People will always break the law. When laws are broken, people need to be held accountable for their actions. Period.
This whole story is so tragic for all those involved and the greater community that know the families etc… I think it’s important for people to share their opinions on this forum – aside from idiotic hurtful statements some make – I have learned a lot about people’s opinion on the matter and some positive community dialogue has begun. Granted it would be nice and rosy if it were not such a tragic story, but none of us are to blame. All we can do is express our feelings, talk about it, learn from it, and move forward.
But the notion that we must pick and choose which laws we enforce? That is just plain irresponsible.
I agree with you. But I also think that the existing laws should be made better and much more sensitive to the innocents that surround the perpetrators. There is no reason to destroy whole families or set the members of the community at each others throats.
And when there is a vulnerable victim like in this case — should the whole World be discussing the specific details of the crimes against the victim? That’s also most repugnant to me. Do we really need to know the most intimate details that, for example, were published here. I don’t see the benefit of that at all.
And read what I said carefully — I never suggested selective justice. Just a more sensitive enforcement that isn’t the legal analog of carpet bombing.
Regardless the law KEN, would you have allowed Dr. Andrew Bourne and Joe Walker (both well over 30+ years older than the victim in this case) to have sex on several occasions with your 14 year old daughter?
Yes or No?
Had you found out that both had been doing so, would you be so protective of either?
Yes or No?
This discussion is generating lots more heat than light. I suggest stepping back and allowing the dust to settle. Maybe it’ll save more hard feelings and perhaps save some from embarrassing themselves further.
Does the society need some means to protect children and inexperienced young people from predators? YES! But current methods based on simple prosecution after the fact are failures!
Did the law prevent two educated,intelligent men from committing a repugnant crime? No! Will it the next time? No!
Did the law protect the victim (who was more a sacrifice to neglect and martyr for the legal system and generator of profit for the media than victim) from being a victim? No!
Did the law rehabilitate the perpetrators of the act so they could reenter society, make restitution and again be productive members of society? No!
Did the law teach the parents to be more aware and protective of their child so she would not become a victim? No!
Did the law teach the young woman how to protect herself from being a victim? No!
Did the law heal the emotional wounds the young woman has experienced in the law’s attempt to protect her? Probably not.
Did the law help the community to come together and heal the emotional wounds of all those innocent collateral victims — family and friends and coworkers? No!
Did the law help the community come together to find a more effective, less destructive and positive way of mitigating the effects such acts? No!
The community has been torn apart. People in the community have been provoked to unleash their most venomous and vituperous selfs. We are at each other’s throats for no sensible reason. The law failed abysmally to achieve any of it’s professed goals. There has to be a better way than the way it was done.
I ask again — other than revealing the flaws of the justice system, how did the persecution of these two men benefit society?
Do you mean persecution or prosecution? BK
It’s both isn’t it?
Ken-I’m not sure about what Bourne really did to this girl, but Walker deserves to rot in jail and stay away from my kids.
According to Bourne’s taped confession reported via keyt.com he had sexual relations with the victim six times during 2010.
Please provide this link to a claim of taped confession.
what report do claim to have read. Are you referring to the criminal complaint?
Suggestion: The legal process has come to an end on Andrew Bourne. Those involved did what they do by rule of law. They did not claim
that their allegations were final since the defendant died and could not proceed to trial. End of story. Form your own views based on
evidence provided. I wouldn’t waste any more time waiting for tapes, notes, etc. Benett Kessler
suggestion, How about you and other members of the press do their jobs and ask the questions that we the layman do not have the ability to ask.
Then we the public won’t make conjecture. .
Fed Up, If you’re referring to our media, we did our job and provided all of the information that authorities will provide.
What more would you like to know? We’re always happy to ask. Benett Kessler
If you read the officiall report, Dr. Bourne admitted to sexual activities with the the girl about six times in 2010
Report what report. You mean the criminal complaint against Walker. You simpletons you just accept anything that is written without question! This is why we have a legal system and we are innocent until proven guilty.
And to the media and Benetts comment “we did our job and provided all of the information that authorities will provide.” Did you or anyone ask the questions like this. – Did Bourne make these statements while being recorded? Was the statements made with his attorney present. Was anyone else present if there was no recording. did Bourne lawyer up when questioned Was he given Miranda.
Please do I need to do your job for you. Please send me a check and an official job title and I will be more than glad to take care of this for you!!!
Dear Fed Up, I suggest you go get your news somewhere else if you don’t like how we do it.
If you can get rid of your anger for a minute, consider that there are ways to cover news
that you know nothing about. Reporters talk to people on and off the record and gather
information in many ways to arrive at their final reports.
If you want to prove the innocence of Dr Bourne, why not hire a
private detective to try to get what it is you think you need. Benett Kessler
“Denial” ain’t just a river in Egypt…
Well, for at least two years there will be one less sexual predator out and about in the community of Mammoth Lakes. I’d say that’s a benefit, albeit a short one. I am also firmly of the belief that sexual predators are NEVER truly rehabilitated and can not be truly rehabilitated.
Ken,
Andrew Bourned chose not to stick around to even allow the justice system to even begin to do their duties.
Thus the justice system and law had no chance to succeed or fail in this case and your point is completely moot.
Please stop holding the justice system responsible for Andrew Bourne’s poor choices and terribly bad behavior.
It is he who put himself in this compromising situation. NOT the justice system.
Ken, unless you’ve got a Tom Cruise, Minority Report, future-telling-machine packed away in that same closet you’ve been sticking your head in, I think we’ll stick with prosecuting/persecuting criminals after the fact. By questioning the effectiveness of our legal system and repeating to pose your question of societal benefit, you fail to miss the point that it is Walker and Bourne who are responsible for this crime and every consequence that has resulted since.
These two grown men, who knew right from wrong, had the power to prevent all of this from happening. Did they consider the well being of the girl? No. Did they think of the monumental hardship this would place on their families? No. Did they think they would get caught? No. The let their own twisted, lustful desires get the best of them, and they did get caught. And since you are no Tom Cruise, I am perfectly content with letting our legal system, and due public humiliation, run its course.
This whole incident reminds me of the Tiger Woods fiasco. The morning after thanksgiving a good portion of faith based thinkers thought there is no way Tiger would do such a thing but the majority of people who I know that think with common sense and actual scientific reasoning knew damn well what really went on…we don’t need wikileaks for these tragic stories that cause drama that resembles jersey shore…the undeniable facts are now out for these ignorant pedophiles… both of them definitely had intercourse with the young Santa Barbara juvenile…and the mountain paid for a service to support a complete wealthy scumbag who had zero morals for humanity including the feelings he couldn’t face to his immediate family.
Ask any cop and they will tell you that almost no criminal gets busted on his/her first time and most always the bust happens after the perp gets over confident. It’s just not likely that this one girl was the first and only victim of these two and possibly their yet to be discovered accomplices…
This story is starting to remind me of a bad south park episode.
I still find it hard to believe the ski area put on that service…. At this point I wish they would fire Rusty and ship him out of town. To the suck ups your just as bad as Rusty.
Jake- I’m not trying to stick up or as you say” suck up” for Rusty or Dr.Bourne. Bournes family suffered more than I can imaging and they had every right to have a service where ever they wanted. I still think it is a sad day when people use this against any one. Like them or not.
Jake – The point that maybe you are missing is that these two men not only perfectly fit the profile of a pedophile – it turns out that they were actually admitted pedophiles. More than likely their pedophilia was not a secret to everyone they knew, people they were related to, or people that they worked with. Someone just doesn’t wake up one morning and decide to be a pedophile – it’s something that develops over a life time of experiences. A public memorial service for a pedophile – especially under these circumstances – is just downright CREEPY.
How does the $30k Rusty spent on the memorial for Dr. Bourne sound now? Money well spent? The Dr. was actually guilty. $30k MMSA might have used to save a job or 2 out of the 75 that got whack……does this bother any other MVP holder? Shouldn’t Starwood Capital look a little deeper into this decision by the CEO?
I can’t stand the way Rusty has been acting as a CEO, but I don’t think all these comments about him on this subject are right. Funerals and wakes are for the living. In this case , more victims of Joe Walker. I see no reason to ambush Rusty for showing compassion to Bournes family. Take Joe Walker away and none of this happens.
And,once again,a poster saying Dr. Bourne is a victim….This post,and another saying the good doctor was sucked into this situation by Joe Walker..That along with a post a while back saying the young girl “took advantage” of the doctor…and kind of blaming her parents for allowing it to happen..Bottom line,and,hopefully,the last comment I want to make here….In June,Joe Walker will be where he belongs…and also where Dr.Bourne should have been too.But since he chose to end his own life,denying justice,well,maybe he is where he belongs now too.
Dr. Bourne admitted to having sex with an underage girl…..and Mammoth Mountain “celebrates his life.” The suicide was an admission of guilt from the get go.
Read the complaint: Bourne Guilty of multiple acts. Good thing Mammoth threw him a party! Not
Funny I did not see anywhere in the documents that Bourne was Guilty of anything. There are claims of such. The charges were dropped. Leave the dead guy alone.
Bourne while alive was never charged with actually having sex with the girl. Don’t ya think if it was fact that Bourne confessed , that the DA would have originally charged Bourne with that crime too at the arrainment.
It is interesting how psychopaths (pedifiles) gravitate to each other and work together to achieve a common goal. They naturally gravitate to areas of society that involve children such as schools. Both men were active in the community and with the mammoht school district. Pedifiles also tend to train their victims and share them. The are in positions of power and wealth. People in those positions should be tested for phycopathy.
“something like this happens once in a lifetime, we need to take it to the next level….and go to prison for five years.”
The poor soul is gone but his victim(s) remain. I am tired of the effort for all those who supported him to exonerate him. He, according to Walker and his own admissions to Police, seems awful guility in my mind. Only my mind, I understand it did not go to a jury.
Maybe his peers should not have whispered in his ear that they knew he could not do such a thing. I would think that added to the amounts of pressure on his shoulders.
Get a grip people, some of us don’t believe, some of us do, some don’t even care he is gone, while others will forever be affected by his passing. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
That what makes this country great.
Well, that’s that. However I don’t think 5 yrs is nearly enough.
Walker admits guilt. Bourne admits guilt. Wonder how Rusty feels now about that party at Canyon? It would be interesting to get feedback from all the other Borne supporters, especially those with children.
I wonder, will Rusty throw a “Going Away” party for Joe Walker?
Prisoners love kiddie diddlers good luck Joe
If I were the doctors in mammoth, I would remove Bourne’s name from their non profit. I would never give money or support to a group honoring a pedophile that had sex with a very young girl!
Let’s just call it a day and hopefully those sily docs in mammoth will stop calling their late colleague their “best friend.” I hope they realized that people will think twice about you and the the people you surrounded yourself with. You’ve got your own kids to look after and you don’t want them looking back at old articles of their mom or dad defending a perve in the public papers. Come on little town, quit placing your foot in your mouth. What comes around goes around….
I think forty years would be more like it. Twenty for Joe and twenty for Andrew.
@Trouble – got off easy? He’s likely to spend five years in a state prison with other men thinking he’s the new candy. As a registered sex offender he will not be allowed near the schools to attend his children’s performances, graduations, etc. What he did was awful, no way around it. What he will go through in prison will be awful also.
MeadowGal- I really do respect your opinion on our prison system. If he denied he did this I would be the first to defend his rights. But there are only a few crimes that I would consider worse than what he admitted he did. Men are supposed to protect women and children in this world in my opinion.
He is from a family of wealth, he’ll do five years at a club fed with painted lines as fences.
No performances,no graduations,no school functions…and a branded sex offender for the rest of his life..and 5 years in prison to boot..maybe should have thought about that in between all those e-mails,visits and “other things” he had going on with a 14 year old girl.And you are right saying he won’t be having a lot of fun in prison once the other inmates find out what he’s there for.
Neither of these men are Pedophiles they are Ephebophiles. There is a big difference between the 2. Neither are good but one is MUCH worse then the other. Not to excuse him, 5 years is light for corrupting a young girl and pawning off a girl to his friend. However Bourne touched her at 16, and it seems the more serious charges against walker are for when she was 16 as well. With a large portion of the countries age of consent being 16 it’s understandable why he received such a light sentence. Even if I don’t agree. These guys aren’t your standard diddlers, but diddlers none the less.
Lets tally it up — one good man who did a bad thing is dead, his children left fatherless, his wife in Hell. Another man’s life destroyed permanently without chance for redemption. The invisible third person humiliated in the public media and emotionally scarred for life at such a young age. Who knows what the victims family is going through? A community left torn apart. And for what?
The crimes against the so called victim continued unabated for over a year. The time to protect the victim was before any of the events happened. The persecution of these men was nothing more than societal revenge. And what will be the course of the victims life now with such a publicly humiliating traumatic experience as a foundation for a lifetime of decisions.
Did the society as a whole benefit from the prosecution of these two men? Did the victim? Somebody tell me how the arrest and prosecution of these two men has made the world a better place.
Why are people expressing any satisfaction or vicarious vindication? I just feel physically sick.
Society as a whole did benefit from this prosecution…IMO…..The World IS a better place when 2 grown men aren’t out there,in the public,preying off young girls.Please don’t try to say Law Enforcement,and our Government should turn their backs when anyone breaks the law in a way these 2 men did.
I’m not saying, if they are guilty, that they should go free or be slapped on the hand, or what ever, I’m just pointing out all of the hate I see here, a lot of hate and misery and pre judgement, accusations, and hints of foul play by the DA, maybe that is all hear say who knows, but without a trial, we will never know. It is all sick, what supposedly went on, and all of the people who think they have all of the answers, and the power destroy. OK I’m done with this one, let the haters hate on it.
It sounds like you are saying that it is ok to have sex with an underage girl.
Yes amen Ken .. the disgustingness of it all this is high and mighty pius mentality that runs rampant. Yeah they might have done something wrong, and the child .. may have played right along, or might have played them right along.
The parents of the victim .. they also are horrible people, rich people who seem not to have cared for the their daughter enough to not have protected her.
where did bishopmammoth27 come up with that?
Does he or she know for a fact, that they were. Maybe so, but from what I have seen, it sounded like the parents and the victim, and the Bourne, and Walker were all friends. It seems to me there was no reason for the parents to think something was up, and unless they checked the email, they wouldn’t have known anything was up either. Or … maybe they would have found out the girl might have started it, who knows.
Throw your stones Bonzai, I only met Dr. Bourne one time, I knew him to be a kind man .. yeah if he was guilty, he made a mistake, are you without sin, or without making mistakes, are you pure as snow. I think you are disgusting .. with all of the hate you bring forth, but you can have a change of heart, there is always hope.
Yeah Ken, the haters abound in all things we see it here, just a glimpse of the hate out there, but it sure brings ugliness even with a such a drop of hate displayed, it can taint the water.
Such is the ugliness in man’s heart, I think that ugliness is more revolting than the alleged crimes here. the crimes alleged here are sick, and need to be dealt with, but if we lose site of compassion, then we are dead inside and left to be cynical in all things.
I can tell you how the arrest and prosecution of these two men as made the world a better place: the next time a grown man in this town wants to follow through with destroying the life of a child, boy or girl -and you can pick any age you like- and the lives of their own spouse and children just to fulfill a purely selfish and sick act, –maybe, just maybe, he will remember this outcome, and that as a civil society we have established basic protections for our children from acts such as these. If a grown adult wants to take advantage of my son or daughter at such a young age, arrest and prosecution would be the last of their worries.
Yes, tally it up. Then go ask Joe Walker if it was all worth it.
Ken-normally I agree with you on most issues,but not on this subject. As a father and a brother I don’t think this guy should be allowed to walk the streets for a long time. His crimes are against a little girl. This was no accident .
Seriously?! Laws are in place for a reason, Ken. If everyone is allowed to break them with no consequence we will live in a world of utter chaos. Your ignorance of this fact speaks volumes about you. No need to worry, your friend will serve less than five years and be on the mountain with all of our daughters again no time. There is no easy answer to any of this but to act as if it is wrong that Walker is punished, you are the coward here as well.
The above note by Mr. Ken Warner is joke, RIGHT?
Is this the same Ken Warner that has been desperately trying to have the Mammoth Yosemite Airport Director, Bill Manning, Tar’d and Feather’d for over three years? All for doing a job well done in bringing Commercial Air Service to Mammoth Lakes. Also constantly claiming foul play both here and in other public forums, by the same Director, in his communicating with the FAA regarding the drafts of the most recent ALP for the same airport?
Here you now state that the actions of both Joe Walker and Dr. Andrew Bourne should have never been posed onto the legal system of the State of California. You basically are defending the behavior of two grown local men (One the Chief of Staff of the Mammoth Lakes Hospital. The other a well to do Rich Businessman) that sexually humiliated and abused a minor for their own physical edification, as proper and not worthy of being put forth within the legal system to be tried and if found guilty, presented punishment.
You Sir need to have your priorities totally re-evaluated. You have also completely lost any tiny bit of credibility that you may have had concerning the potential ill dues for the growth and future of Mammoth Yosemite Airport and it’s Director.
I pray and hope that someone will bring this letter forth and call you out the next time you begin frothing at the mouth ranting at the next Airport Commission Meeting.
Unbelievable.
Seems your pseudonym is apt. And you are making up lies about me in a public forum about a whole other issue — I suppose for your own benefit — which I believe is libel. Did you even read what I said? I posed the question: was this the best way to deal with a bad situation given the number of people who’s lives have been wrecked forever?
You really don’t get it.
Ken…..What do you think is the “best way” this bad situation should have been delt with?….just curious…..
Good and reasonable question. I don’t know. But looking at the poison posts on this blog and the emotions of the people who post them — there has got to be a better way. A more quiet, private way that really does protect the victim from further harm and assures that the perpetrators of such acts — both past and future — don’t do it again while still preserving the emotional sanity of those around them.
People here say I don’t care about the (now) young woman. That’s a lie. I feel deeply sorry for what she must be going through. Imagine if you were the victim and had to read this blog. How awful would that be?
Situations like this — I can only imagine — are so delicate — are so on the edge of what this unfortunate situation has become — that they have to be handled delicately, Not with flashing lights and perp walks and media sensationalism.
It would have been better for this community if nobody had heard a word about the arrests. That at least would have been better.
Covering up the unpleasant in any community is not better. The purpose of media is to show people who they are and what their
town is. We can observe these negative things, ponder them and perhaps take some type of action in our own lives for the good.
That is the value of a free press. If bad things are covered up, then there is no end to the denial. That’s when corruption
takes off. This kind of crime does not require that any of us form passionate opinions. But, as one person said, they have
found the dialogue on this forum valuable. So, that’s good too. Benett Kessler
So I am wondering when You Benett or for that manner any other news agency is going to challenge or obtain any proof that Bourne actually confessed to these allegations. Was this recorded or is this just hearsay? If this is just hearsay then it worthless conversation. You cannot trust what some say. We live in a country with laws.
The information used for our story included the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s amended complaint against Joe Walker and a Plea Bargaining
form and statement by Joe Walker. The information about Bourne’s admission to police was included in the complaint as relating to the conspiracy to commit a crime charge lodged against Walker. Walker admitted that he encouraged his friend, Bourne, to have sex with the victim. The DA said Bourned admitted this to a police officer.
These documents are not actually hearsay. The statements and charges are the result of investigation and witnessed admissions. This kind of information is accepted as an official court document, as our attorneys explain to us, because of the “higher index” of validity considering the circumstances under which the information was gathered and who provided the information.
Other than all of this, the defendant, Andrew Bourne, is dead and the case will go no further. Benett Kessler
“These documents are not actually hearsay. The statements and charges are the result of investigation and witnessed admissions. ”
The claims made against Bourne are not from any quotes or Emails, The claim is from a statement claimed by an investigator that might not be recorded says he heard. How very convenient. Investigators never tell a lie, never misstate what they thought they heard year right and i have plot of land to sell you in the john Muir wilderness. if there is no recording In many opinion it probably never was said. If this was true then the DA should have charged with this back at the arraignment of Bourne months ago.
“This kind of information is accepted as an official court document, as our attorneys explain to us, because of the “higher index” of validity considering the circumstances under which the information was gathered and who provided the information.”
That is what trial is for. Many of times facts are not what they originally seem. It is the Due diligence of the press to get to the bottom of the facts. I still have not heard a single statement that the statement of Bourne was made under a recording or in the presence of additional officers and was in the immediate report made by those officers at the arrest and interview.
“Other than all of this, the defendant, Andrew Bourne, is dead and the case will go no further. Benett Kessler”
Yes that is one of the only things that is factual regarding Bourne.
Did any of you pick up on the fact that Walker committed one act while Bourne was out of the country. That creep Walker had access to the Bourne House!!!!!!!!!!!. Walker claims he tried to coerce Bourne WOW even more creepy.
Just because it is written does not mean it is true and correct.!
fed up, you say “Walker claims he tried to coerce Bourne”.
But you don’t seem to acknowledge the contents of the e-mails from Walker and the victim.
“I promise I will be supportive in your endeavors, even if it’s continuing the physical relations with Bourne.”
“You told me I should be with him. You told me to.”
How do you suppose those e-mails got written? You seem to think the SBPD hatched some conspiracy, so I guess Walker and the victim were in on the conspiracy before the investigation even existed. You’re in extreme denial.
Ken I agree with you in your thoughts for the most part, yes it is all ugly and so many things like this get hyped by the media, it is aweful to see. These things should be brought to light.
I do feel that way about it, but unfortunately, as you say, the media goes too far in it’s thirst to report every juicy detail, and then everyone who is involved in it some way or another is scrutinized. The media is like vultures at a feast, at times.
It is true these things need to be known, but do we need to know every morbid detail from every neighbor on the block, everyone who goes to school with the victim .. etc …
This sort of thing is eaten up by poisonous minded people who have misery and hate in their hearts, and others who just crave all of the dirt.
I do think, there are some things that we and especially the media don’t need to know, it has nothing to do with covering things up .. sometimes it is respect of privacy, but the media doesn’t understand that, they just need to know all, they can’t stand it if you tell them no. You can tell them no and even just not offer anything, “no comment”. All you have to say.
Big Al, I don’t know what media you’re talking about. Certainly some of the tabloid media and even LA TV get into what seems like ridiculous detail about personal tragedies. None of the media in the Eastern Sierra went to that extreme in the Bourne story. We reported the facts, which were not pleasant to consider. Benett Kessler
Benett … lol .. I wasn’t referring to you or any source in particular, but the media at large. I would have named names either way, whether good or bad, right or wrong.
Are you serious? Please tell me you don’t really feel this way? 1). Walker CONFESSED. He did it. Period. He is the one that ruined his own life. No one else did it to him. 2). Bourne made a choice to take his own life. His children are fatherless by his own doing. His wife’s hell is his doing….not the cops, not the people, not the victim.
I find it amazing that you have so little compassion for a child that was taken advantage of by two grown men who knew what they were doing was wrong. They are both Pedophiles. Read up on Pedophiles and learn how they get their victim (and that is exactly what she is..not a “so called victim”) to let them have sex with them. She was not old enough to consent. I’m shocked there were no rape charges.
I think you would be screaming from the mountain tops if it had been your 14 year old daughter that these “good men” had done this to. Would you have said “well, they were good men and they just did something wrong” if it had been your child? I don’t think so. You are clouded by your shock. It’s hard to believe when someone you know and respect shows you a dark and ugly side that you had no idea existed. Denial just makes it easier to deal with.
I am just amazed at how you took the blame off the guilty (by admission) and put it right onto the victim. It’s NOT her fault the Walker is going to prison. It’s not her fault the Bourne took his own life. THEY are the reason. They were grown men who KNEW better but still chose to commit the crimes. Anything that happens to them because of their choice..is their own doing. I don’t understand why you think we should all look the other way just because of “who” they are.
Ken,
I respect your opinion. But you are so blindly off base and out of line it would be a losing effort for anyone to debate sensibly with you. It would be like trying to describe colors to the blind.
You make the same ridiculous arguments that 100% of criminal defense attorneys make in defending their clients.
To refer to this as “one little mistake” as you have, is dangerously naive. Even more so when you consider this isn’t Joe’s first offence.
To infer that there are two sides to every story, is also naive. You have the victim,..(who you always belittlingly refer to as “the so-called victim”)…You have Joe, a second time offender (Please refer to his absence…in Europe which I’m am sure you will be reading about soon), you have Bourne whom admitted this to multiple sources, You have a 2 year police investigation, and a DA 300 miles away…..and thousands of pages of evidence.
If you actually care about any of there people, your best argument should be to never mention it ever again. That’s the best way to put it behind you and leave it alone. Right now, your just making things worse.
To view this rejoinder with a little perspective — you should all know that he’s making up the part where he says, “To refer to this as “one little mistake” as you have, is dangerously naive.”
I never said that in any way.
That’s yet another lie for the every growing mound of lies and prurient fantasies that have poisoned our community. If you really want to not make things worse — stop telling lies.
Ken,
You seem to throw the word liar around a lot, you also talk about everyone poisoning our community.
Why don’t you just turn your great powers of perception on yourself?
Why don’t you reassess some of your prior responses and posts?
Why do you think that even the most positive of people, respond so negatively to your comments?
Why do you always make statements in the form of a question?
And by the way, I know you, so let me ask you this; Why don’t you run for public office or at least volunteer for Rotary or Kiwanis or Lions Club if you are so interested in helping the community?
There’s a lot of truth to your criticisms of me. I do get overly hostile. My flaw. I’m feeling this episode strongly because of my experience with Bourne and my disbelief that he could do something so ugly and stupid.
I was in denial for a long time. Until I read a court document and was forced to accept the truth about what he did. It tears me apart to know the truth. And for some reason when i hear people say (in so many words) that even his death is not enough it hurts me and I really don’t know why it should or why I respond the way I do.
I do care about my community and the people in it but I’m just not suitable for groups like you suggest. I don’t function well in those kind of environments. You can tell why from my posts.
My posts about how current laws and ways of dealing with situations like this seem somewhat sensible to me but I see from the responses that others see them as flawed. Maybe they are right. I just don’t know.
But please don’t put words in my mouth. I have enough trouble with my own words.
Well Ben, I hammered Ken too once over something I saw a dig to the community, maybe I am wrong, maybe he meant it in a joking way, maybe I was right on in what I perceived.
But I could see early on in this thread, that he had genuine concern and care for Andrew Bourne. I share that same concern for the man, who he really was. I think Ken only tried to stand up for what is right in this whole mess, he tried to bring compassion to it. Compassion seems in short supply in heated matters such as this.
I love how you hammer him for using a word in one post, one post .. and he’s throwing it around.
I think you need to reassess some of your response here.
@Ken: It must be incredibly difficult for you right now reading about the man who saved your life….I get it….NOTHING makes sense right now….and it hurts at such a deep level that it feels like the pain will never end……give it time…..maybe just try to not talk about it or question it, or try to make sense of it? I think I may have said this before….crime never, ever, “makes sense”…..we would all go crazy trying to “figure out” what the two men were thinking and how in the world they thought it was okay…..there is simply no sense to be made of the whole situation….and there is no “right way” deal with all of this news…..but let’s all try to be nicer to each other in this heated conversation.
Thank you. Conflicted and torn are barely adequate descriptions of how I feel about Bourne. I have a scar on my stomach that is my daily reminder that he saved me from a lingering, painful death. He was a good man to me and hundreds if not thousands of others and then he did that awful stupid thing he did. Unless you have had the direct experience I’ve had, you will never really understand.
I don’t know Walker.
The (now) young woman — I feel very sad for because nothing can be done to undue the past.
As for the discretion I suggest, remember, the young woman’s friends can also read this blog. Given the distortions and flat out lies in the views of the so called adults here, can you imagine the pronouncements of her young school mates and neighbors? What will the course of her life be with this event as a reminder in her life as persistent as the scar on my stomach. I think it would have been better for her to have less detail and information publicly available regardless of what Benett thinks.
Amen Ken
Ken.
That was Bourne’s profession. He was just a surgeon. Not God.
Regardless of his profession and how he preformed it, his behavior across the board concerning this entire situation depicts a man of absolutely zero character. An intelligent and caring man of responsible character does not choose to put himself in the compromising position or behave in the fashion in which Doctor Bourne did. Period. There are many a physicians and surgeons locked up throughout the US penal system for acts just as lewd and disturbing as this one but on their patients. Those individuals have one mark up on Bourne in the character block. They chose to stick around, stand trial and accept responsibility for their actions. Something Andrew Bourne cowardly decided not to do. Fact!
Denial prevails in this community. For anyone that does not see nor accept the truth for what it is in this matter and not what you may think it is, regardless the individuals profession, that indeed is the downfall of this community as exemplified by Rusty Gregory’s allowing the “Celebration of Life” to be paid for by MMSA.
Well, I guess that says it all. Guilty, by his own admission.
Disgusting all the way around. I really want to add other comments, but won’t because this is finally over and its time to close this black eyed chapter.
Bourne and Walker: Disgusting humans. Walker’s only redemption is that he spared the girl and her family the horrors of a trial.
Bourne on the other hand, a total coward.
Someday, the whole truth will come out. Stories have already leaked about the 3-way suicide pact. A pact that only Bourne adhered to. Sounds like Walker punked Bourne and in a few years, with parole, he’ll be making fresh tracks on the hill. Maybe he’s not such a dummy?
Yeah go ahead and throw the stones Bonzai .. sounds like you can. Squeaky clean?
In five years Walker will be out, the victim will be over 18 and they can run off together.
It’s happened before. Glad it’s over for now.
I’m usually real liberal on punishments. But Joe walker got off easy on these crimes.
That was the DA’s choice. Mr. Walker was wise to take the DA’s offer. Probably the best choice for everyone involved. He wouldn’t have got of so easy if he was convicted on all 21 counts.
case closed, move along.
HE WILL BE out in 2 years due to prison overcrowding.
So did Bourne. What a coward.
In my opinion, this should end any doubts.
That’s funny, the story is finally out and no comments? Interesting……. How’s that saying go. In time truth will tell all….
WOW!!!!…suprised this happened…It shows what a solid case this Santa Barbara D.A. had against this guy…and probably Dr. Bourne too…When I first seen the story,I figured some type of plea deal to avoid prison time…not so….So much for the speculation about the “witch hunt” D.A.Barron had for these “fine” citizens of Mammoth Lakes…huh?……
Well I always felt that Walker was guilty in some way. I also felt that somehow Walker pulled Bourne into this . What I cannot believe is that Bourne confessed to a police investigator. I think that part is a figment of the imagination of the Santa Barbara Police. Bourne cannot defend himself and it is easy to say such things.
“Walker pulled Bourne into this”
omg Mammoth Residedent now he’s a victim?
You just might be the poster child of what’s wrong with this Country
Guaranteed that said “figment” is on tape…
I agree I do not think Bourne said a thing, I feel he knew about it, but I do not think he would put his family and career and loose it all, I feel he thought that they would just nail him, seen the justice system work in this town, and it is sad that a few bad people and D.A.’s have a bad smell, in Bishop and mammoth, and the good people who are serving the public along with the public have to put up with all this bull.I have a police scanner just like almost everyone, and my mother’s name came up and they ran her plates, so I called her, I said are you talking on the phone and driving, she said, no I just parked and going to the store, I said the police officer in a car just ran your plates, she goes, really ? She said well I came out of shell, and there was a police officer in the other lane, then he got behind me, but I wasn’t speeding or anything, I said, I told you mom, they run plates for no reason, and being from down south and living here, I think I have seen enought, I will say there are so nice police, but there are a few that SHOULD NOT be on the force, and it’s the good ole boy club, lets just hope that we,can just get the bad fish, out of here, but its a game.Sad
Oh and lets go into the officals computers and see what there up to, there halo is bending.
Interesting how the haters are out there..where were the parents???????? Give me a break, I think there will be more crap about Dr. Borne..all u haters there are two stories two be told WHERE WERE THE PARENTS????????TELLME?????Yeah right who gives permission for an underage child to go anywhere, I cell phone my child every half an hour, I would never ever let her go somewhere with out me …so you haters think twice, Borne, he felt horrible and walker is sick …end of this subjectit makes me sick..WHERE WERE THE PARENTS were they so RICH..they are not around….give me a break…………….Parents where were YOU???????????????
Bishopmammoth27…..You are right in asking why the girl’s parents did not keep a closer eye on their daughter….and did not know of the E-mails.Surely,they had to know of all those visits to Mammoth Lakes…But even if they did know of them….even if they knew what these 2 grown men were doing with their daughter,it still don’t change the fact that it is illegal for grown men to have sexual contact with a 14 year old…If either of these men had gone to trial,they could not have used a defense of what they were charged with by saying she had bad parenting.
There’s nothing wrong with running plates. LEO’s could turn up a stolen vehicle or a dangerous felon on the run.
I wish the forest service would do the same thing with snowmobiles. Instead they’re just looking for out of date green stickers or no green stickers so they can write a citation. If they ran green stickers they’d at least be serving a public interest and would quit possibly turn up a stolen snowmobile from time to time.
Since they don’t I have 2 snowmobiles, and 3 dirtbikes. I have one green sticker and I put in on which ever vehicle I’m driving. Silly forest service you guys are dumb.
I agree w/ your first sentence.
Then I read further… I hope you get popped. Then you would be the “silly” and “dumb” one.
Typical rowdy,out of control off-roader….not only screwing up the land with their “guy-guy” sport of impressing their guy friends,but finding ways to work the system and get away with what they can get away with…and then call others “silly” and “dumb”.Just remember…switching tags on a vehicle can get you in a lot of trouble….much more trouble than you get in if you have no tag at all.
I wouldn’t post my evil ways if I didn’t want the forest service to step up their green sticker varification proceedures. Their current effort is nothing more then a knee jerk. Who knows how many stolen vehicles they’d recover if they actually verified registrations. Right or wrong, currently the jokes on them.
Mammoth Resident….Your post imply’s that Walker somehow forced Dr. Bourne into the situation he was in…and you seem to say the Santa Barbara Police were lying about the confession from Dr. Bourne..But your last sentence is what I don’t get at all…Dr.Bourne had a chance to defend himself from the charges brought against him…Dr.Bourne CHOSE not to defend himself.At least Walker admits his guilt and is willing to face what he did was wrong.Got to give him credit for that.
The Poor sole is dead. Why the DA needs to bash him further I don’t get it. Maybe he’s guilty we don’t know. I just find it hard to believe that Bourne confessed to police instead of Lawyering up. I am no lawyer and I know not to confess like that. Something is still fishy here.
Maybe those who deal with this stuff all the time see highly educated people confess without a lawyer present.
Never been there but I do know Lawyer up don’t go it alone.
Whether he admitted it or not, it’s a heck of alot easier to believe that he chose his alternative to “lawyering up” due to the fact that he felt it was his best option. Sooner or later his emails will be leaked and those of you in our pleasant little community who want to treat child-predators as victims will have no ground to stand on.
Yeah and all the negatives are from those who are int he polie or have other intentions, I have talked abotu this with so many people to small of towns, and everything just does not add up..so give us who seem to think, and negative… I agree somthing is fishy here.
Maybe the police could release the recording of his interview for us???