Kenneth Walsh

Kenneth “Kenny” Walsh is portrayed by Bill Smitrovich in the American television series The Practice. Kenneth is introduced in the premiere of the sixth season as Helen Gamble’s boss in the Massachusetts DA’s Office, who despises defense attorneys, especially the ones at Bobby Donnell’s firm and frequently manipulates the justice system to get people convicted of murder (who he knows or believes are guilty).

Background
Prior to the series, Walsh was Helen Gamble's mentor during her first years as a prosecutor. Walsh was initially a good and honorably prosecutor who bought defense attorneys drinks after their cases were over. But seeing defense attorneys continuously use dirty tactics to get their clients acquitted gradually made him sick and he grew to despise defense attorneys as a result. He eventually decided to play dirty to even the playing field.

Season Six
When Senator Keith Ellison is accused of killing his wife’s lover, Walsh assigns Helen the case with ADA Alan Lowe, a recent transfer from Middlesex, as her second chair in the case. When the Senator’s daughter, Allison, confesses to killing McNown during the trial, Bobby, one of the Senator’s attorneys, comes into Helen’s office with Lowe and Walsh present and offers a deal of manslaughter, if no charges are levied against Allison and he gets to make a statement to the press. Helen adamantly refuses the deal, but both Lowe and Walsh override Helen’s decision and accept the deal. Unknown to all of them is that Keith’s wife, Marsha, is the real killer. The prosecution presented the right picture, but the wrong players: Keith was having an affair with McNown and Marsha caught them and killed McNown.

When a key witness in an attempted murder case Lowe is prosecuting, Martha McKee, dies of a heart attack before testifying, Walsh orders Lowe to get the accused assailant, Martin Jenks' attorney Lindsay Dole to plead the case out before she learns of the witness’ death. While reluctant, Lowe accepts a deal for Jenks to be sent to prison for five years in prison and five more on probation with no chance of parole. When Lindsay and Bobby discover this they try to get the plea deal vacated citing they committed fraud and Walsh argues for the prosecution in front of the judge on the case, Patrick Wilcox. After both parties make their arguments, Wilcox calls them into his chambers where he makes no attempt to hide his contempt at Lowe and Walsh’s actions. Wilcox says how disgusted he is at their actions, but Walsh reminds him that nothing in the law allows him to reject this deal and Wilcox, begrudgingly agrees while still saying what they did was wrong.

Walsh later personally prosecutes Katie Defoe for the murder of her lover, Bernard Potter, while Bobby defends her. Walsh puts up witnesses to make his case that Bernard was murdered by Katie because he broke off their affair, feeling guilty having paralyzed his wife in a car accident arguing about the affair. Walsh is later blind sighted when Bernard’s therapist reveals that he was also having an affair with Michelle at the time of his death and Bobby tries to use this new information to insinuate that Michelle killed Bernard, but Walsh manages to convince the jury he is wrong and Katie is convicted of murder. After the trial is over, Madylyne is shown walking down the street, showing she lied about being crippled and she killed Bernard.

When a homeless man, Daryl Johnson, is put on trial for raping and beating a college student, Linda McLaughlin, to death, Walsh assigns the case to Helen while he watches and manages her progress while Eugene Young defends Johnson. When Eugene argues that Johnson was identified as the killer because of his race, Walsh theorizes that Young is trying to hang the jury. Johnson takes the stand where he testified to being in a relationship with the victim at the time. When Helen’s cross backfires, Walsh advises putting a girl named Betsy Collins on the stand to refute Johnson’s testimony. Helen is skeptical because it will destroy Linda’s parents’ credibility with the jury, but Walsh says it can’t be helped, despite the fact Young is ready for her. Walsh later witnesses the jury demonize the American legal system based on this case and how they refuse to reach a verdict.

Helen calls Walsh to her office when she orders the retesting of DNA in two rape cases as a favor to Lindsay, whose client, Daniel Glenn, allegedly committed. She informs Walsh that while the DNA from the first rape, Amy Henley, was too degraded to test, the DNA from the second rape, Karen Garvey, wasn’t a match to Glenn and was a match to an inmate named Gavin Brown. Walsh is horrified that an innocent man has been in prison for seven years for a rape he didn’t commit. When Henley refuses to believe that Brown raped her instead of Glenn, Walsh later agrees to arrange a deal where Brown pleads guilty to both and only serves 10 years when could serve 20 years for both rapes each if he is truly guilty of both. Brown confesses that Henley was his first rape. The deal is off until Brown remembers carving Henley’s chest with a knife and then licking her blood off the blade, a detail never released to the public or at trial, proving Brown raped both women. As a result, Walsh approves the deal and Glenn is released from prison.

Walsh later supervises Helen when Michael McIntyre is arrested for murdering his business partner, who Walsh prosecuted in 1990 for the murder of his another business partner. Walsh worked hard on the case, but the jury ultimately acquitted McIntyre for murder. When one of their witnesses in the current case, Charlie Rossi, takes the stand and claims he mistakenly identified McIntyre, Walsh blames Helen for being able to get Rossi to the truth. Walsh has Rossi brought back into their office and threatens to convict him of perjury and obstruction of justice, have the maximum sentences doubled, and send him to the roughest prison he can find if he doesn’t tell the truth. Rossi says he will think about their offer and he after he leaves, Rossi is shot to death and Walsh is convinced McIntyre is responsible. Walsh tries to use Rossi’s death to declare a mistrial on the basis that McIntyre ordered the murder, even falsely stating Rossi was going to testify again for the prosecution, but Wilcox isn’t convinced. Walsh tells Helen he is taking over the case and he will prep the investigating officer himself, despite the fact Helen already did that three times. When Walsh questions Detective Simons on the stand, he mentions that it wasn’t robbery because of the valuables in the house and how he was killed. The detective then mentions McIntyre’s previous arrest for murder and the judge calls all the attorneys into his chambers after instructing the jury to disregard the detective’s last statement. Walsh tries to claim he didn’t know Simons was going to do it, but Donnell doesn’t believe him and accuses him of purposefully orchestrating it to get a new trial. As a result, a hearing is called to determine Walsh’s culpability and Helen testifies, despite Walsh’s objections. Walsh tries to discredit Helen’s testimony, but Wilcox believes Helen and dismisses the case with prejudice. Walsh angrily states that he will file an appeal and report Wilcox to the Judicial Committee for sending a killer back on the street, but Wilcox states his outburst is only proof he knows it is his fault. Both Walsh and the daughter chastise Helen for letting McIntyre walk free.

Walsh later arranges a deal for an arsonist named Norman Tucker to testify against his co-defendant Ronald D’Ambrosio, James “Jimmy” Berluti’s client, who Tucker claims hired him to torch his building and killed a night watchman. Despite arguments from Bobby & Jimmy, the judge upholds Walsh’s deal with Tucker and denies the use of a vindictive prosecution defense. During the prep, Helen is concerned Walsh may have lost his way, citing the McIntyre case, but he claims the same of her and both continue to work the case. At trial Helen cross-examines the witnesses, including Tucker, while Walsh observes. When Helen tells him D’Ambrosio is taking the stand, he is thrilled, but Helen cautiously warns him not get excited, especially since Tucker came off as a freak in his testimony. Walsh tells her he doesn’t care if she has doubts, she will cross D’Ambrosio hard and win the case. Despite Helen’s best efforts, D’Ambrosio is found not guilty by the jury. It’s later revealed that Tucker was lying to save himself, but Walsh was only led to believe him.

When Lindsay Dole shoots Lawrence O’Malley, a serial killer and ex-client, three times in the chest, killing him in their home, Walsh personally supervises the investigation. After all witness statements and forensics come back, Walsh orders McGuire to arrest her in the law firm’s office for murder. At arraignment, Walsh states he will not oppose bail, but seeks to disqualify the Lindsay’s firm from representing her stating her colleagues are potential witnesses. The judge, Warren West, holds off on ruling on the matter, but advises Eugene to consider this. When Eugene moves for an immediate trial date, Walsh supports the motion. At the hearing to disqualify counsel, the judge allows them to represent Lindsay, but only if they allow the police to question the rest of her colleagues. When Eugene tries to introduce their defense Walsh thinks they are going for self-defense but is greatly surprised when Eugene says Lindsay is not guilty based on battered woman’s syndrome.

After Ellenor Frutt goes on Larry King he accuses Ellenor of deliberately contaminating the jury pool in Lindsay’s favor to the judge and requests a gag order. Judge West decides to watch the tape before ruling and cautions both of them to be professional during this entire process. Walsh antagonizes the firm throughout the entire proceedings and both argue for their side of the story. Walsh paints her as cold-blooded killer who planned to kill him for days while Ellenor uses Lindsay’s history with past clients George Vogelman stabbing her and William Hinks stalking her to make it look like Lindsay snapped when O’Malley violated the restraining order. Walsh uses the fact that Hinks was killed by a client sent by Bobby to intimidate him to further prejudice the jury against her and the jury eventually finds Lindsay Dole guilty of murder.

Season Seven
At Lindsay’s sentencing, Walsh states the statutory sentence should be applied and objects when Young tries to get the charges reduced to manslaughter. He uses her threats against the victim and her calm demeanor when she called 911 to prove it was murder and says the judge has no basis to reduce the charges. The judge rejects the defense’s motion to overturn the verdict and ultimately sentences Lindsay to life without parole.

When Rebecca Washington files an appeal on Lindsay’s conviction with the Appellate Court Walsh represents the People. Walsh defends his actions when Rebecca accuses him of committing multiple reversible errors at trial that should shock each of the judges on the Appellate Panel. The judges ultimately orders a new trial for Lindsay Dole, based Fifth and Sixth Amendment violations. Walsh gloats to Helen at his chances to put Lindsay on trial again and admits he hates that firm and will beat them at trial again simply because he can, offering no deals.

True to his word, when Eugene and Bobby come to his office asking for a plea for manslaughter, he rejects it and smugly states he will win at trial. Walsh gloats to Helen that he will show Lindsay and her colleagues that they won’t beat him and calls Helen on judging him when she coerced a false confession from an innocent woman in a previous case. When an internal forensics report suggesting O’Malley was moving forward at the time of the shooting is sent to opposing counsel from Helen, they immediately requests an evidentiary hearing on the matter, Walsh claims work product to get it thrown out, but the judge ultimately grants the motion for a hearing. Walsh confronts Helen on giving that report, she smugly states that she did it anonymously to protect him because if one of his lieutenants betrayed him, what would that do to his reputation and unlike him she will follow the letter of the law. Helen says when she started working for him she wanted to be him and admired him, noting that she was not out to get him. Eugene questions the analyst who wrote the report, Hallbrenner, and eventually discovers that Hallbrenner was told by Walsh to change his report. When Hallbrenner refused, Walsh had Dr. Joshua Illitch testify to a scenario of the crime that fit his version of the crime and buried the report. Walsh tried to use the fact that three of his superiors thought the report was wrong and that Walsh didn’t force him to change the report to argue against this. Nevertheless, judge West decides to grant the defense’s motion for post-conviction relief and dismisses the indictment with prejudice, freeing Lindsay to Walsh’s shock. Walsh holds a press conference to blame the corruption of money on Lindsay Dole’s overturned conviction and berates the justice system for letting her go.

Walsh comments on how Helen is happy the judge rejected a plea deal for two Christian Scientists, Roland and Wendy Hubert, accused of letting their child die. He even makes a reference to how the Japanese don’t believe in a win-win situation, that they believe one side has to lose and one has to win and makes some derogatory remarks in the process. Helen expresses some concerns that his remarks maybe a little racist, but puts it aside for now to discuss protecting Wendy’s unborn child. Walsh advises committing the mother and that those courts are more open to finding an end around the Constitution and even offers to do it himself. Helen thinks he is just doing it to go against the Bobby and Eugene but Walsh assures her it’s not. Judge Roberta Kittleson orders this issue be argued before a different judge, so it didn’t affect the current trial. Walsh makes his arguments against Ellenor in judge Phillip Swackheim’s court and while they were waiting he makes some offensive remarks on Ellenor’s sex life as well as the sex life of her new associate, Jamie Springer. When Judge Swackheim denies his motion, Walsh goes on a rant on how people are more concerned about the rights of the criminals than the victims and starts saying all mankind should be exterminated because life is treated like it should be. After the rant, Ellenor tries her best to comfort Walsh and suggest he needs to take a break from the law to try and get his head together and he agrees saying repeatedly that he is tired and walks away. He goes to Helen’s office and tells her he is going to take some time off to get his head together and apologizes to Helen for everything. Helen tries to hug him, but he tells her he will be fine and just then his pager goes off telling him Helen’s jury has a verdict.

After spending a month on sabbatical, Walsh returns to work and his first case back is prosecuting a man named Stanley Deeks for murder who is, coincidently, represented by Lindsay. When he talks with Lindsay, he mentions he had two nicknames for her he prosecuted her: Boom and Techie. After joking about these names he tells Lindsay that he is deeply ashamed of his actions against her and while he won’t be her friend, he will try and be fair and noble in Deeks’ case. Walsh questions Officer Hope on the stand on discovering the victim’s body in the defendant’s trunk. When he is done, Lindsay questions Hope and reveals that when he searched the car he had his gun drawn and practically forced Deeks to open the trunk of his car, and didn’t have any reason to believe a body was in the trunk. Walsh later listens to Lindsay’s argument to have the body excluded on 4th Amendment ground. Walsh argues that the search by officer Hope was reasonable, based on the location and time of day. Using the fact Deeks was acting like a criminal, Walsh argues that Hope did have probable cause to search the trunk and discover evidence of his wrongdoing. Walsh then states that it would be a grave injustice to let Deeks go on a technicality. Despite Walsh’s best arguments, Judge Zoey Hiller rules to have the evidence and Deeks' confession inadmissible.

Walsh later helps Helen when one of Jimmy’s clients, Brenda Miller, is accused of shooting and then running over a man named Gerald Hanks. When Jimmy tells Helen and Walsh that he won’t let Miller talk to them, both Helen and Walsh are skeptical. Walsh asks if Miller owns a gun and how the crime scene doesn’t make sense. When Helen says that Jimmy has an hour to surrender his client for testing, when Jimmy asks why, Walsh says to search for evidence that she fired a gun. When Jimmy asks why two DAs are even on this case Walsh says it is because their curiosity has been peaked. When a man named Herrick Smoltz tries to extort Miller for $100,000 to keep silent, Jimmy suspects he’s the real shooter and helps Walsh and Helen organize a sting to catch the guy, in exchange for immunity for Miller on DUI and vehicular manslaughter charges. Turns out Jimmy is right and Smoltz is charged with Hanks’ murder.

When Lewis Nyler is later revealed to be innocent through DNA evidence 15 years after Walsh prosecuted him in 1998 for the murder of a 70 year old retired school teacher, Walsh is subpoenaed by Bobby after Nyler sues the city. Walsh tries to hide his anger, but warns Bobby that if he comes after him that he will fight back. On the stand, Walsh says he didn’t know Nyler was innocent when he prosecuted him, didn’t believe the confession of another man named Mark Carter made after the trial and he did tell the parole board to deny Nyler’s parole. Once Nyler’s innocence was discovered he did support the decision to vacate his sentence, and defends his actions while blaming Bobby too. Walsh mentions how Bobby didn’t interview Nyler after the trial either. During the trial, Walsh visits Bobby in his office and tries to make amends with him, but Bobby just coldly asks if he is done and Walsh shouts in anger at him as he leaves.

He second chairs when Helen is assigned to prosecute Russell Bakey for three serial murders of women. Walsh later helps prepare Helen to cross Russell on the stand by bringing up his tendency to live with his mom and recommends getting him angry. If he doesn’t they paint the picture he is cold while if he does get angry that he is quote “a man of rage.” Walsh also advises to get in his face because she looks like the women he killed and wants the jury to see that. After she crosses Russell, Helen receives a threat through her computer, warning her not to go after Russell’s mom Sylvia and shows it to Walsh. He later watches as the jury delivers a verdict of not guilty on all three murder charges.

When Helen is later sued by Russell’s mom for deformation, Walsh talks with Helen about possible options after Sylvia starts to believe her son is guilty of those murders. Walsh has an idea of how they can use this to their advantage and advises Helen to set up a settlement conference so they can talk to Sylvia alone with her attorney. At the meeting Russell tries to listen in but is kicked out while Walsh can stay on the pretext of being one of Helen’s attorneys. They then make their offer, Helen will withdraw her comments on Sylvia having sex with her son during the trial and promise her full immunity for perjury, if she agrees to help get her son civilly committed. Sylvia reluctantly agrees to get her son help and Walsh argues to get Russell committed. Despite Walsh’s best arguments, the judge refuses to civilly commit Russell and is released. While Walsh and Helen discuss their failed attempt to get Russell committed and getting Helen protection, Russell comes to their office to report his mom missing. While they suspect that he killed her, without proof, they are forced to see him walk away.

Walsh later prosecutes Nancy Healy for the murder of her brother-in-law, Derek, while Ellenor and Jimmy defend her. Walsh paints the picture that Derek blamed Nancy’s husband and Derek’s brother, Kevin, for his son, Justin’s, death. Justin was driving the car while Kevin was in it and it crashed, killing Justin and paralyzing Kevin. Kevin required round the clock care, which Nancy was doing most of the day with Derek’s wife Lori helping sometimes and Derek refused to help when the bills started to pile up. As a result, Nancy snapped one night and killed him in a rage. Ellenor and Jimmy try to paint the picture that Nancy killed Derek in a blackout resulting from increased mental stress as Nancy became erratic and suicidal. When Nancy takes the stand and testifies to her erratic behavior and not remembering killing Derek, Walsh crosses her and reveals that at one point, she and Derek had an affair and therefore gives her a bigger motive for killing him. After Walsh and Ellenor make closing arguments, the jury finds Nancy guilty of murder. Unknown to him, Lori is the real killer who conspired with Kevin to get rid of their cheating spouses by having Lori drugging Nancy to make her think she had another blackout, taking her car to Derek’s house, kill him and plant evidence framing Nancy. Kevin would then tell her that she went over to Derek’s place to make her think she killed him.

Walsh later prosecutes Tom Bartos for the murder of his sister-in-law, Rachel Rosenbloom, while Berluti and Rebecca Washington defend him. Walsh offers a deal for eight years with a possibility of parole in five, but Tom rejects it and they go to trial. Walsh uses his witnesses to tell the story that Tom became a fugitive in 1992 after Rachel stabbed and killed her husband and Tom’s brother, Adrian Bartos, and Tom killed her in revenge. Tom then got on a plane to Rhode Island carrying a suspicious duffle bag (presumedly carrying Rachel’s body) and came back. When Jimmy puts Tom on the stand, he testifies that he was having an affair with Rachel and helped her fake her death because his brother was abusive and tried to kill her after he found out she was leaving him. They disguised it as a break-in, drew her blood every couple of weeks and pulled out one her teeth to sell the story. The duffel bag actually had Rachel in it as he suspected, but she was still alive and later ran to be with her for about eight months before they went their separate ways. Walsh cross-examines him and manages to paint his entire testimony as ridiculous and brings up his multiple lies to discredit him. When Jimmy and Rebecca try to get the deal back on the table Walsh laughs in their faces. He is later blind sighted when a bottle with Rachel’s prints is sent to him and proves that as of three months ago is alive. Walsh is so angry he can’t even tell Jimmy and Rebecca the news personally and has Helen speak for him. They agree to drop the murder charges, but Tom has to do time for obstruction of justice for helping fake her death. Unknown to Walsh and Helen is that Rachel didn’t send the bottle, Rebecca did. It is revealed that Tom’s wife, Marci, is really Rachel in disguise and Rebecca took the bottle from Marci when she wasn’t looking and sent it to Walsh to prove her client’s innocence. Rebecca doesn’t tell Walsh the truth because just enough of the information falls under attorney-client privilege and they both escape justice.

Season Eight
When a patrol officer Peter White is shot and his alleged killer, Todd Beck, is being tortured by the cops in the hospital, Walsh is the ADA on call and conspires with the police to further violate his civil liberties. Walsh interviews Peter’s partner, Officer Annie Carrol, who admits not seeing Beck pull the trigger, but mentions he was the only one present. Just to be sure, Walsh has Carrol look at Beck to make sure and she is sure. Walsh interviews Beck while he is being tortured trying to get him to reveal where the gun is, but Beck says he doesn’t know. Walsh then approaches Young and offers him a deal: Young convinces Beck’s friend with him at the time, Joe Moran that he saw Beck shoot Peter and Walsh will let Eugene see Beck. When the police convince Beck to lie, saying Moran killed Peter and he is taken to surgery while Walsh has them arrest Moran for murder. Walsh goes to see Moran with his attorney, Jimmy, and offers Moran a deal: sign a statement saying Beck is the shooter, Walsh will grant him transactional immunity for his statement and testimony, Walsh will otherwise prosecute Moran for murder. Jimmy quits being Moran’s attorney when he decides to accept the deal to avoid prison and Moran’s new attorney draws up the paperwork.

Walsh later meets with Peter’s widow, Sharon, to say how sorry he is that Peter is dead and to say they got the man who killed him even if they don’t know why and Sharon insists on coming to the trial. At the arraignment Eugene tries to have the case dismissed based on police and Walsh’s misconduct and the judge eventually agrees that their misconduct went way over the line. But Walsh counters that in addition to Moran’s statement they also have Carroll’s testimony to back it up and despite their actions it isn’t technically against the way. When the judge eventually returns, he expresses how disgusted he is with Walsh’s actions, saying he should be prosecuting the officers involved in the conspiracy to torture Beck but won’t because of his own culpability. But ultimately denies the motion to dismiss as the evidence is legally allowed under the circumstances. Walsh, eventually realizes Beck is innocent and feeling guilty for his part in torturing him, offers Young a deal. He will drop the murder charges if Beck agrees to plead guilty to unlawful discharge of a firearm within city limits where Beck would only serve six months. Young laughs at how Walsh realizes how corrupt he is but Beck ultimately accepts the deal to avoid a long prison sentence.

Walsh is last seen when he is assigned to prosecute Daryl Solomon for the rape of his ex-girlfriend, Candace Watson. Walsh meets with the victim’s father, Steven, to prepare him for the trial when the opposing counsel and former D.A., Hannah Rose barges into Walsh’s office. Rose openly tells them Daryl is her client and fully believes that he is guilty and Walsh asks her what she wants. Rose hands them a document suggesting Steven abused his daughter and is possibly suffering from Munchausen’s and Walsh immediately asks her to leave. Rose warns them it can be used against her to pierce rape shield and advises them to drop the case and to plead out to misdemeanor assault with a suspended sentence of a year. Walsh, reluctantly agrees to take the deal after she leaves.

Villainous Acts

 * Convicted Lewis Nyler of murder despite the fact another man named Mark Carter committed the murder and confessed after the trial.
 * Accepted a deal to send Keith Ellison to prison for a murder his wife committed unknowingly.
 * Convinces Alan Lowe to accept a plea from Martin Jenks for ten years for attempted murder, knowing the case would have been dismissed after the court learned of the witness’ death.
 * Unknowingly convicted Katie Defoe of murder despite the fact she was framed by Madylyne Potter.
 * Tried to force a mistrial in Michael McIntyre’s 2nd murder trial to get more time for a witness to return (failed).
 * Convicted Lindsay Dole of murder despite having a crime scene report supporting self-defense.
 * Unknowingly convicted Nancy Healy of murder despite the fact she was framed by Lori Healy and Kevin Healy.
 * Allowed the police to torture Todd Beck and falsely convicted him of a crime he didn’t commit to appease the police department and public pressure.

Episode Appearances

 * Season 6
 * The Candidate
 * The Candidate 2
 * Liar’s Poker
 * Dangerous Liaisons
 * Inter Arma Silent Leges
 * The Test
 * Manifest Necessity
 * Fire Proof
 * This Pud’s for You
 * The Verdict
 * Season 7
 * Privilege
 * Convictions
 * Of Thee I Sing
 * The Cradle Will Rock
 * Silent Partners
 * Character Evidence
 * The Making of a Trial Attorney
 * Choirboys
 * Special Deliveries
 * Burnout
 * Goodbye
 * Season 8
 * Police State
 * The Firm