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Man, 25, sentenced in killing of teen
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Everson
YOUNGSTOWN
A 25-year-old man convicted of gunning down a teen on the South Side in 2008 will be a senior citizen before he is eligible to be released from prison.
Reginald Everson was found guilty last month of aggravated murder with a gun specification in the killing of Terrell Roland, 18, of East Avondale Avenue in Roland’s driveway in March 2008. He also was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm because he committed the shooting while out on bond for an aggravated robbery at an Auto Zone store during which another man was killed.
Everson was attempting to shoot another man standing in the driveway with Roland but missed, instead hitting and killing Roland. Everson and the other man had been involved in an ongoing feud.
Everson appeared for sentencing on all charges Wednesday before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Carol Roland, the victim’s mother, asked the court to impose a maximum life sentence but said she has no hatred for Everson. She said she wants him to face the same life sentence imposed on her family when her son was murdered.
“We have a guilty verdict, and I am thankful for that, but I still do not have closure. I hurt so badly. My heart aches every day for Terrell. ... Terrell did not deserve to have his life taken from him,” she said.
Carol Roland told the court her son was nice, shy, obedient and lived with an 11 p.m. curfew until he was 18 years old.
Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, asked the court to impose a maximum penalty of life on Everson because he is likely to commit future crimes. He also said Everson killed a decent, innocent person from a good family.
“They are good people. ... Their son was a decent kid, and he was innocent, an innocent bystander in a feud he had nothing to do with,” said Desmond.
Tonechia Everson addressed the court on behalf of her brother saying he is not the monster prosecutors make him out to be. She asked the court for leniency in sentencing.
Attorney Eddie Czopur, representing Everson, asked the court to consider his client’s upbringing and history. He said that history can explain the person Everson grew to become.
Everson, Czopur said, did not have a relationship with his father and has a strained relationship with his mother. He was cared for by his grandmother, who was elderly during his formative years.
Margie Harrell, Everson’s aunt, expounded on Everson’s history saying he has managed to be a good father to his four kids even after seeing eight members of his family lost to street violence.
“He is not the person they say he is. He is a nice, quiet kid,” she said. “He did have a hard childhood. ... Every other year, we were going to a funeral,” she said.
Everson addressed the court, saying he feels for the Roland family, but he is innocent. He asked that an appeal be filed on his behalf.
Judge D’Apolito, after hearing statements from both sides, said Everson learned nothing from his involvement in the Auto Zone robbery that led to a man’s death. He said Everson certainly is likely to commit more crimes if released from prison.
“The bullet that killed Terrell will be with that family forever. ... He did nothing to provoke this incident. He did not deserve to die,” said D’Apolito.
The judge said there must be appropriate punishment for the crime and handed down a sentence of 30 years to life for the aggravated murder, five years for the gun specification and three years for the illegal possession of a firearm. The 38 years total on those charges must be served consecutive to the 10 years Everson already is serving for his involvement in the Auto Zone robbery.
Everson will be given credit for the 1,563 days he has spent in prison awaiting trial.