Teen to get 70 years in shooting

Associated Press

Saturday, July 19, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS — An 18-year-old man will be sentenced to 70 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the drive-by shooting of a former Wasson High School football player near Memorial Park.

Tyrief Reynolds entered his plea Friday in the slaying of 19-year Diontea Jackson-Forest on July 9, 2007. He also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree because Jackson-Forest's girlfriend was in the car.

Reynolds will be sentenced Oct. 24 to 48 years on the murder conviction and 22 years on the attempted murder charge. The sentences will be served one after another.

Reynolds also pleaded guilty to attempted murder in separate stabbing case from March 2007. He received a 22 year sentence in that case, which he will serve at the same time as his other sentence.

• July 19, 2008

  6:35 p.m.

  Who_Me writes:

  (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

• July 19, 2008

  6:38 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Who_Me writes:

  Colorado Springs? Hey, another good job of editing the story for relevance, RMN. There's like what, maybe 25 people in Denver who've ever heard of this school?

• July 19, 2008

  9:32 p.m.

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  platoro79 writes:

  Diontea was a friend of my daughter at Western State where he played football. His senseless murder devistated her and her friends. RIP Diontea, you are missed by many who knew you.

• July 19, 2008

  11:16 p.m.

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  SL10 writes:

  Man, this guy got off lucky only 70 years? He should have gotten life without parole at least for the 3 crimes he did. At least he will die in prison as someones Bi&%#.

• July 19, 2008

  11:16 p.m.

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  bone writes:

  bye reynolds...i'm glad my children and i never have to share the same space w/you...you're going where you belong

• July 20, 2008

  1:57 a.m.

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  LOUIE writes:

  Sad to see a young life taken and another one spent; kid will be in his 50's coming out. That many years it's not a matter of rehabilitation, the spark leaves a man's eyes and the heart grows cold. Doubt he'll be a threat to anyone by sheer conditioning. It can be argued putting this man to death would be more humane. I used to watch the old men shuffle in prison to ripe old ages; used to tease them about coming into prison back when a Cadillac had fins. Maybe this kid can turn out the light when he leaves...sad all the way around.

• July 20, 2008

  9:48 a.m.

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  18Zwife writes:

  The teen may have been sentenced to 70 years but that doesn’t mean he’ll serve the 70 years sentence. It’s a good bet he’ll be out before he’s 30, if not sooner.

• July 20, 2008

  10:09 a.m.

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  Aok706 writes:

  doubt he'll be out in his 30's he has to serve the attemp murder charge immediately after the murder charge

• July 20, 2008

  10:42 a.m.

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  mt writes:

  The sad thing is that now we have to pay for this guy to keep on living after he tried to take three lives. Hopefully someone in prison will rape and then kill him since our liberal voters and politicians are too afraid to do it. Three hots and a cot, what a joke.

• July 20, 2008

  10:49 a.m.

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  LOUIE writes:

  Used to be murder was an offense you would get paroled after 10 years, as long as there were no aggravating cicumstances. Back in the 1960's and back that was the norm, they would get out in ten to 15 years and do 10 or better on parole; not anymore. Today 70 years means he'll put up at least 50. Florida has a minimum manditory they had just brought into effect when I was leaving, requiring 25 years on 2nd degree, life without parole on 1st degree, death in thier are aggravating circumstance brought out at sentencing. This kid.s life is all but shot. Truth is, most murderers make not only model inmates in many circumstances, but were least likely to reoffend when compared to other offences such as sex crimes, property, robbery, etc. The warden had many of those that were lifers in high positions within the prison itself because they were often the least likely to cause the man problems. But that was then, this is now, things and attitudes have changed. I'd rather have them let out a repentant murderer than an incurable child rapist. Just an opinion I am sure to be attacked on. Not all murderers were this lucky however, if there were aggravators, they be there till they were old and ripe, severe enough aggravators they'd sit in the chair. I hated execution days...but if I had to go I'd want it totally public, justice hidden and viewed by a few is not justice. I think the gillotine was the most efficent and less tramatic when properly applied. Lethal injection is a sanitary cowards way of easing people's adversion to the punishment. The electric chair was perhaps the most brutal. Firing squad and hangings have to much of a human error factor such as strangulations and bad shots. That gillotine however seperated a man from this world so cleanly. Folks, if I screw up and whack someone, you know my wishes; and please forget the political joke and let me have my last smoke, Colorado has no class when it comes to a man coming clean to the house. Cohiba, Upmann, Montecristo, no Zino or Macanudos however, they just don't have the right bite for such a fine occaision. Mr. Dugger, one of the wardens in the East Unit not only gave the condemned thier choice of food the night before, he'd by them a pack of smokes and serve them a drink as well. Warden Dugger and Warden Barton both had a lot of class when doing the job. It made him human in the eyes of the rest of us convicts, who had to sit through the day thier. Both were good and decent men.

• July 20, 2008

  10:55 a.m.

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  LOUIE writes:

  Mr. Z., you know me, I always had nothing but respect in my heart; I hope you'd give me a good cigar.

• July 20, 2008

  11:23 a.m.

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  Who_Me writes:

  I agree with you, Louie. So, out of curiosity, would you have voted to parole Susan Atkins (Manson follower, terminally ill)? I would have.

• July 20, 2008

  11:33 a.m.

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  redwhiteandBLUE writes:

  Louie,

  Do you remember the OLD Max in Canon City ?

• July 20, 2008

  2:25 p.m.

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  LOUIE writes:

  No, redwhiteandBLUE, lot of years, lot of memories, Canon City is not one. Put it out there, tell me something I can carry from your experence, something that contributes to world you see. I'm humble, I will listen, even if all walk away.

• July 20, 2008

  2:46 p.m.

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  LOUIE writes:

  Who_Me, can you put up with the self rightious opinion of a convict? Not to make this rebuttal pesonal, as I have done unto you in posts past. You're complex enough that I should pour a drink, toast to study you further, what poison do you desire...pal? Why do you want me to hold a balance of the scales of justice; am I not disqualified by my past recorded actions in the best of your judgements from past posts we shared? Do I not see from under the blindfold, maybe been under the girl's skirt for a few? Can you suffer the grammatical errors, and mispelling you brought to my attention, thankfully so? I do have an opinion on what you asked, but why waste the time with me? A lot of people here, are much more intelligent than I; drink with them. What could I possibly offer you?

• July 20, 2008

  3:45 p.m.

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  Who_Me writes:

  (I wasn't talking about you for the writing; it was the all-caps poster).

  Why? Because I respect your opinion and perspective. We don't have to agree on everything. I think you are more than qualified to render an opinion. As always, the choice is yours.

  My belief and experience is that people can change, hopefully for the better, and there is almost always room for compassion. She is not the same person she was 40 years ago. Ever see Shawshank Redemption? Morgan Freeman talking about that kid who is long since gone, doesn't exist anymore?

• July 20, 2008

  5:32 p.m.

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  redwhiteandBLUE writes:

  Louie,

  No, I've never been in prison or jail. In my old neighborhood there were a lot of people who had been in prison..and would tell stories
  about the old max in Canon City, and that back then 50, 60,'s it was really brutal they had the chain gang, the old grey mare, which was
  a thing (what's it called?) where you cut wood. They used it to put the men over it to whip them, physical, punishment. They used to work the roads..break mountains/big boulders and sledge hammer the rock into gravel for the roads. They made the Co. licence plates
  and the women's prison made the uniforms for men and women.
  The warden they had then ..they say was brutal he also kept the
  good food and gave the inmates..horse meat. If you were gay in there you'd have to wear a dress and they'd write to your mother
  to let her know. They changed laws and stopped the "old Gray Mare"
  and can't work hard anymore ..Cruel and unusual punishment law.
  Now ??? All they do now is education. I think maybe now there's no fear of returning. All the people in the neighborhood went to prison for burglary, using or selling drugs and there wasn't this huge amount of tons and pounds of marijuana, never heard of meths in those days or much cocaine. Mostly heroin or marijuana. Now it comes in by the truck loads. If they had an ounce of heroin wow..they were big drug dealer. The New warden that came in was Wayne K. Patterson. and they say he was a good man fair & balanced :) He passed away a few yrs ago..but wrote 2 books with pictures.
  If you google his name there's a story on him.
  Louie, Did you get educated in prison ? I enjoy your posts, fair and balanced. :. I'm trying to remember more stories. Oh, there was a guy that did 20yrs for a few joints of weed, back in those days..isn't that unbelievable ? He learned the law in the law library in there and came out a lawyer. Most went to prison for what people get probation for "now".

• July 21, 2008

  1:21 p.m.

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  redwhiteandBLUE writes:

  Louie,
  In the book Mr. Patterson wrote ..he writes about the old grey mare..and the ex-wardens name was Roy Best. I googled him to refresh
  my memory about the stories I heard.