S
Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDE
Guest
I can just hear all you coddlers - "But... it was an accident".
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_5682631
Road-rage killer unrepentant
Man blames victim, jury, media as he's sentenced to two consecutive life
terms
By Kieran Nicholson Denver Post Staff Writer
04/17/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
Centennial - Knowing that he was facing life in prison no matter his
excuse, convicted road-rage killer Jason Reynolds used his sentencing
hearing Monday to blame his fate on the media "horde," a biased jury and
even one of his victims.
"This was a witch hunt from the very beginning since I didn't die in the
horrific accident," Reynolds told the court, reading from a prepared
statement.
Reynolds said media coverage by "journalistic hacks" of the November
2005 double-fatality crash he caused unfairly influenced the jury and
weighed heavily in his conviction.
After a brief, unemotional apology to the families of Greg Boss and
Kelvin Norman - his two victims - Reynolds said he was "not responsible
for the deaths or the accident that occurred." Instead, he said Norman's
driving triggered the crash.
But District Court Judge Carlos Samour Jr. would have none of it.
"You were convicted because of your senseless act," Samour told
Reynolds. "Make no mistake about it, this is not about an accident. This
is about murder and extreme indifference."
Though Boss and Norman died in a traffic crash, prosecutors, in a
potentially precedent-setting trial, persuaded a jury that Reynolds'
aggressive driving was egregious enough to equate to first-degree murder
with extreme indifference. After his conviction, he was certain to
receive a mandatory sentence of two consecutive life terms.
Reynolds, 34, of Parker, had a history of tailgating at high speeds as
well as pulling in front of other drivers and hitting his brakes.
During the trial, at least three witnesses testified that Reynolds had
tailgated their vehicles at a high speed and when he passed them, he
pulled in front of them and hit his brakes.
On Nov. 8, 2005, Reynolds, driving a Jeep on E-470, pulled behind
Norman, who was driving a Toyota 4Runner, and began tailgating,
prosecutors said. Norman changed lanes, and when Reynolds passed he
pulled in front of Norman and hit his brakes, causing the 4Runner to
swerve. Norman's vehicle flew up and crashed upside-down into Boss' Ford
Explorer. Boss, 35, of Lone Tree, and Norman, 50, of Highlands Ranch,
died at the scene. Reynolds was not hurt.
After the crash, Reynolds told a tow-truck driver Norman "got what he
deserved and what he had coming," the driver testified in January.
Samour compared Reynolds' driving to playing "Russian roulette" with a
vehicle.
"You put your life in danger, and you put their life in danger," he
said. "You might have well been standing in the middle of the highway
with a gun shooting at them."
The judge reminded Reynolds that he had received a letter from the
Colorado State Patrol just six weeks before the fatal crash warning
Reynolds that he'd been reported as a dangerous driver.
Dozens of family members and friends of Boss and Norman were on hand
Monday for the sentencing. Reynolds also had supporters present, and
some told the judge that Reynolds "is not a monster."
Mary LaFrance, the girlfriend of Boss, said she was disappointed by
Reynolds.
"I was sort of shocked," she said. "I thought maybe it was his
opportunity to show a little bit of remorse and compassion, but he didn't."
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_5682631
Road-rage killer unrepentant
Man blames victim, jury, media as he's sentenced to two consecutive life
terms
By Kieran Nicholson Denver Post Staff Writer
04/17/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
Centennial - Knowing that he was facing life in prison no matter his
excuse, convicted road-rage killer Jason Reynolds used his sentencing
hearing Monday to blame his fate on the media "horde," a biased jury and
even one of his victims.
"This was a witch hunt from the very beginning since I didn't die in the
horrific accident," Reynolds told the court, reading from a prepared
statement.
Reynolds said media coverage by "journalistic hacks" of the November
2005 double-fatality crash he caused unfairly influenced the jury and
weighed heavily in his conviction.
After a brief, unemotional apology to the families of Greg Boss and
Kelvin Norman - his two victims - Reynolds said he was "not responsible
for the deaths or the accident that occurred." Instead, he said Norman's
driving triggered the crash.
But District Court Judge Carlos Samour Jr. would have none of it.
"You were convicted because of your senseless act," Samour told
Reynolds. "Make no mistake about it, this is not about an accident. This
is about murder and extreme indifference."
Though Boss and Norman died in a traffic crash, prosecutors, in a
potentially precedent-setting trial, persuaded a jury that Reynolds'
aggressive driving was egregious enough to equate to first-degree murder
with extreme indifference. After his conviction, he was certain to
receive a mandatory sentence of two consecutive life terms.
Reynolds, 34, of Parker, had a history of tailgating at high speeds as
well as pulling in front of other drivers and hitting his brakes.
During the trial, at least three witnesses testified that Reynolds had
tailgated their vehicles at a high speed and when he passed them, he
pulled in front of them and hit his brakes.
On Nov. 8, 2005, Reynolds, driving a Jeep on E-470, pulled behind
Norman, who was driving a Toyota 4Runner, and began tailgating,
prosecutors said. Norman changed lanes, and when Reynolds passed he
pulled in front of Norman and hit his brakes, causing the 4Runner to
swerve. Norman's vehicle flew up and crashed upside-down into Boss' Ford
Explorer. Boss, 35, of Lone Tree, and Norman, 50, of Highlands Ranch,
died at the scene. Reynolds was not hurt.
After the crash, Reynolds told a tow-truck driver Norman "got what he
deserved and what he had coming," the driver testified in January.
Samour compared Reynolds' driving to playing "Russian roulette" with a
vehicle.
"You put your life in danger, and you put their life in danger," he
said. "You might have well been standing in the middle of the highway
with a gun shooting at them."
The judge reminded Reynolds that he had received a letter from the
Colorado State Patrol just six weeks before the fatal crash warning
Reynolds that he'd been reported as a dangerous driver.
Dozens of family members and friends of Boss and Norman were on hand
Monday for the sentencing. Reynolds also had supporters present, and
some told the judge that Reynolds "is not a monster."
Mary LaFrance, the girlfriend of Boss, said she was disappointed by
Reynolds.
"I was sort of shocked," she said. "I thought maybe it was his
opportunity to show a little bit of remorse and compassion, but he didn't."
