Friday, June 29, 2012
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Everson
YOUNGSTOWN
Parents of an 18-year-old murder victim say the four years since their son’s death have been hard, but a guilty verdict for his killer at least is comforting.
Reginald Everson, 25, is guilty of aggravated murder with life-in-prison specifications. A Mahoning County jury reached the verdict after deliberating for about an hour Thursday morning. He was found guilty of killing 18-year-old Terrell Roland of East Avondale Avenue in Roland’s driveway in March 2008.
James and Carol Roland, Terrell’s parents, attended every day of the trial waiting on the decision of the six-man, six woman jury. James Roland described the last four years as a “nightmare” for his family that he is glad to see end with a courtroom victory.
Carol Roland took the witness stand earlier in the week and gave the jury a detailed, tearful account of what took place the day her son was killed. Prosecutors played a taped 911 call in which Carol Roland can be heard begging emergency personnel for assistance, begging her son not to die and telling the operator her son said “Reg” shot him.
“This is not going to bring any closure to me, but I am glad justice has been served. We are not going to get Terrell back, but we did get some justice,” she said.
Carol Roland said she does not feel any hatred for Everson, but she does want to see the man spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Everson will be back before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for sentencing July 11. At that time the court will decide if Everson will ever be released from prison.
James Roland said he has to live with whatever sentence is handed down, but he does not want to see Everson walk the streets as a free man ever again.
“I hope he gets life. I have to accept what they give him, but I am hoping for life,” he said following the reading of the verdict.
The Rolands, who have four natural children and have fostered dozens more, sent their youngest son Terrell to the Columbus area to finish high school. He was home visiting when the shooting took place.
Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, said Everson drove by the South Side Roland home and opened fire hoping to hit Mickele Glenn, who was standing outside talking to Terrell Roland. Glenn, who was armed and wearing a bullet-proof vest, had an ongoing feud with Everson. Glenn initially faced gun charges that were dropped.
Defense attorneys Rhys Cartwright-Jones and Edward Czopur argued that Glenn could have accidentally shot Roland and covered up the crime.
Everson already is in prison on a charge stemming from the robbery of an Auto Zone store in May 2007.
He had been charged with murder and aggravated robbery in the shooting death of Edward Agee, a store employee, during a robbery attempt at the business on McCartney Road on the East Side. The murder charge and a gun specification subsequently were dropped under a plea agreement.
Everson, who was sentenced in December 2010, is serving a 10-year term on the aggravated-robbery charge.