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6-year sentence angers family of slaying victim
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Clinkscale
YOUNGSTOWN
The family of a 2011 homicide victim is not happy with the six-year prison term given to Keilan Clinkscale in the slaying of their family member and two other killings.
Clinkscale, 22, initially was charged with three counts of murder — one count for the 2009 killing of Melkanoe L. Bowman and two counts for the 2011 slayings of Jasmon Reeder, 19, and Oscar Teague, 56. He ultimately pleaded to lesser charges of reckless homicide and involuntary homicide with a one-year gun specification.
He was sentenced Tuesday by Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Nicholas Brevetta, an assistant county prosecutor, recommended the combined six-year sentence, saying the evidence in the 2009 Bowman slaying was weak and that there was evidence to suggest Clinkscale was not the primary aggressor in the 2011 Reeder and Teague homicides.
Brevetta previously had said it is just important to get a solid conviction and get Clinkscale off the streets.
Members of the Reeder family do not agree with prosecutors and said the sentence handed Clinkscale adds insult to the pain they already feel.
Brandy McLendon, Jasmon’s cousin, said she can’t understand the sentence considering others have received much more harsh punishment for crimes less heinous than murder.
“It makes you think that my cousin’s life was worth nothing,” she said. “They [Clinkscale’s family] will see him in six years. We will never see Jasmon again.”
Herman Reeder, Jasmon’s father, addressed the court just prior to Clinkscale’s sentencing, saying his son was an innocent man killed while trying to keep the peace in an argument between two other people. He said Clinkscale should not be able to walk away from the crime with a six-year sentence.
“My son should not have been shot. He was a peacemaker. ... He was trying to break up a fight and was shot dead cold,” said Herman Reeder. “My son was killed for breaking up a fight, and that’s all it was. I don’t understand how he [Clinkscale] can walk away from a murder.”
Atty. Anthony Meranto, representing Clinkscale, agrees that Reeder was attempting to break up a fight when killed, but he said the evidence against his client is very weak.
“This is tragic, but in light of the evidence the state had ... this truly is a fair resolution to this case. It may not seem like it to the outside world that does not do this every day, but it is fair,” said Meranto.
On Feb. 21, 2009, Bowman was shot in the head at a Delaware Avenue home. Police said the shooting was the result of a feud between Clinkscale, of Coronado Avenue, his friends Ryan McGee, 22, Brandon T. Clinkscale, 24, and Charles C. Richardson, 24, and another group of individuals.
A county grand jury indicted Keilan Clinkscale and the other three men on charges of murder and discharging a gun into Bowman’s North Side residence. Charges against the other men are pending.
On Aug. 6, 2011, officers responded to gunshots fired at a Wirt Street residence. When they arrived, they found Reeder shot in the head. Teague was found shot in the back. Both men died as a result.
Clinkscale, just prior to sentencing, apologized for his actions, saying he is man enough to accept responsibility for his actions.
Judge Durkin acknowledged the weak evidence in the cases against Clinkscale and said there is a strong possibility that he would have been found not guilty by a jury.
Clinkscale was sentenced to 36 months for the 2009 slaying and a concurrent five years for the 2011 killings. He also must serve a one-year term for the gun specification.
Judy Meeks, Jasmon Reeder’s aunt, said she is leaving the matter in the hands of God.
“God knows who did it, and he will punish that person because he said vengeance is mine, say the Lord,” she said.