A woman who was convicted of manslaughter 22 years ago and spent years in prison is now running for Bangor City Council.
Angela Walker and her brother, Benjamin Humphrey, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a Canadian tourist in Old Orchard Beach in 2002, the Bangor Daily News previously reported. She also pleaded guilty to perjury and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Walker spoke openly with the BDN when asked about her criminal record and what it means for her City Council run.
“I want people to see that it’s possible that we can change,” said Walker, who is also in recovery from addiction. “I was lost for so many years. I think people really need to see the other side of that.”
Walker’s background is likely to bring more attention to what is shaping up to be a high profile and crowded race. There are nine candidates vying for three spots on the Bangor City Council, which has recently experienced a tumultuous period that included the censure of one councilor and the resignation of the chair.
Walker believes her experience will help her navigate the complexities of pressing issues like homelessness and addiction with empathy.
“One of the big reasons that I want to run is because I feel like, with my lived experience and the work that I’ve done in a few different agencies in the area, that I can bring concerns of community members to City Council and hope for some change and be the voice for people that can’t speak up or don’t speak up,” Walker said.
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She also said she understands and respects people who have hesitations about her criminal history.
Walker, known by her maiden name Angela Humphrey at the time, and her brother were convicted in 2003 for the death of Derek Rogers. A fight broke out after Rogers allegedly called Walker a derogatory term for Native American women, and he was later found severely beaten and suffocated with sand, according to news reports from the time.
“That’s my past. I don’t live there anymore and I’m a different person,” Walker said about that time.
There are no rules in Bangor’s code barring a resident from running for office based on criminal record, although no similar cases have been reported in recent years.
Walker is one of nine candidates on the ballot in November. Another candidate, Richard Ward, has generated controversy for his well-documented history of neo-Nazi rhetoric.
Walker has lived in Bangor for a total of 13 years, having moved away for a few years and returned to the city about five years ago. She’s not affiliated with any political party, she said.
She has been vocal about her recovery from alcohol addiction and works as the peer services coordinator at the Bangor Area Recovery Network, overseeing the organization’s recovery coaching and recovery justice programs. She also serves on Penobscot County’s opioid settlement funds committee, which advises the county on how to spend funds meant to address the opioid epidemic.
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Walker’s professional experience in recovery coaching has taught her there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery, she said.
“I support all pathways to recovery,” she said. “That means Narcan use, cutting back if that’s what it looks like for people, attending 12-step programs if that’s what it looks like.” She said she hopes to bring a deeper understanding of the recovery process to the City Council.
Walker believes her personal history, which also includes having been homeless earlier in her life, could bring a unique perspective to policy and community building with the city’s most vulnerable residents.
As a councilor, she’d aim to “really be on foot with our friends in the homeless community” and bring their voices into discussions about solutions to challenges facing the city, she said.
Walker also named cleaning up public spaces, talking with local businesses to identify fixes for public safety issues and improving public transportation as priorities.
“I’ve worked at different agencies in the area where that’s always been a barrier for people,” Walker said, adding that she doesn’t drive and had to rely on buses when she first moved to Bangor.
The city has struggled with a bus driver shortage and scaled back services earlier this month. Walker said she’d like to examine raising wages for bus drivers and building awareness around the city’s bus system.
Walker emphasized her ability to relate to those in the city who are struggling, especially homeless residents.
“We are human beings and we have a voice, and sometimes it’s not heard because people don’t take the time to sit down and talk to them,” she said.