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FARMINGTON -- David Valken-Leduc walked out of the Davis County Jail Tuesday afternoon appearing a little overwhelmed.
A judge overturned the 30-year-old man's murder conviction earlier in the day, after Davis County prosecutors cited a number of errors in Valken-Leduc's original trial. He pleaded guilty instead to manslaughter in the 1996 slaying of Matthew Whicker, 30, and was sentenced to three years probation.
Valken-Leduc entered what is called an "Alford plea," where he did not specifically admit guilt, but acknowledged there is enough evidence to convict him.
"It feels good," Valken-Leduc said as he left the jail, accompanied by his attorney, Elizabeth Hunt.
Asked what he planned to do next, Valken-Leduc told KSL NewsRadio: "Go to school."
"I haven't taken it all in yet," he said.
The case has been a long and twisted one. Whicker was found gunned down in 1996 where he worked as a night clerk. Prosecutors said at the time that Valken-Leduc was the trigger man while he and two friends attempted to rob the motel.
After a 2004 trial, he was convicted and sentenced to six years to life in prison. He maintained his innocence.
Two other men, Elliot Rashad Harper and Todd Rettenberger, were also convicted in connection with the case. Rettenberger testified against Valken-Leduc.
On Tuesday, Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings, who inherited the case, cited a number of errors in the original -- including ineffective assistance of defense counsel and problems with his office.
"The fair, prudent thing to do is set aside the conviction," Rawlings told the judge.
"I've never seen so many errors in a case," Hunt said in court.
However, Rawlings insisted that Valken-Leduc had some role in the slaying. He offered Valken-Leduc a plea deal: second-degree felony manslaughter.
Valken-Leduc was sentenced Tuesday to three years probation, credit for the time he has spent in prison and ordered to have no contact with the Whicker family.
Members of the Whicker family had no comment outside of court but told the judge in court that they agreed to the deal. Whicker's widow, Katrina, did have some words for Valken-Leduc.
"None of us would be here today if someone would stand up and tell the truth," she said.
Who exactly shot Whicker remains unknown, Rawlings conceded, but noted that Valken-Leduc admitted to some role by pleading guilty to manslaughter.
"We believe in his involvement, so we don't want to let it go," he said. "But we don't believe he got a fair trial."
E-mail: bwinslow@ksl.com
