Shattered Lives in Colorado- From the CS Gazette

Gangster gets 70-year term in athlete’s death

DENNIS HUSPENI

October 24, 2008 - 3:02PM

"This is a story of two people. One was headed for fame, and you were clearly headed for infamy. Unfortunately, your two paths crossed."

Fourth Judicial District Judge David Prince said these words to teenager Tyrief Reynolds as he sentenced him to 70 years in prison Friday for gunning down former Wasson High School star running back Diontea Jackson-Forrest, 19, last year.

The 18-year-old gang member and murderer apologized to Jackson-Forrest's family, which packed Prince's courtroom.

Reynolds previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder in the July 9, 2007, drive-by shooting near Printers Parkway and Airport Road.

Reynolds drove by in a car and fired repeatedly into the car Jackson-Forrest was riding in with his girlfriend Eileen Yakish. Shot in the neck, Jackson-Forrest died in Yakish's arms.

Both men were raised by their grandmothers.

Reynolds, whose parents died when he was a child, joined the Crips street gang and built a criminal record from his days as a youth, including almost killing a man in a mall parking lot, court records show.

Jackson-Forrest, who wore jersey number 22 for the Thunderbirds' football team, helped them get to the playoffs in his senior year and was going to college at Western State in Gunnison. He wanted to be as famous as Emmitt Smith, former Dallas Cowboys running back who wore the same number and has been described as humble and caring to all.

"He took his life," said Jackson-Forrest's grandmother, Mary Forrest. "I want to know why he wanted him dead. Kids don't do that. Why did his grandmother let him do the things he did. ... At 16 and 17 (years old) these kids know right from wrong."

Reynolds, who tried to kill himself in the El Paso County jail, said Jackson-Forrest was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I wish I could start over," Reynolds said. "Sometimes I wish I was in Diontea's place. ... I will do all I can while in (prison) to make amends for what I've done and try to make it better. I don't know what was going through my head at the time."

Many of Jackson-Forrest's family members and friends talked about what an inspiration he was to them and the pain they feel daily over his murder.

His uncle, James Jackson, said his nephew and Jackson-Forrest's twin younger sisters were taking the family higher because they were going to college.

"We were dancing and laughing and joyous," Jackson said. "We were moving to a different level. Then Tyrief showed up with his marauding crew and all the struggles and sacrifices we made to put that plan in place was dashed away."

The victim's father said he gave his son to his mother to raise because he didn't want him leading the gang life in California.

"I made the right decision to send him to my mother," said Jamison Jackson. "I didn't want him to be like me. I wanted him to be someone better than me."

Reynolds' grandmother chose not to speak. But Reynolds' attorney, Allen Gasper, spoke on her behalf.

"She expresses a deep sorrow to the victim's family. Her heart is broken - broken for their family and broken for hers," Gasper said.

Prince said he thought Reynolds' apology was sincere.

"An old philosophy goes the beating wings of a butterfly can cause a hurricane on the other side of the world," Prince said. "The way Diontea led his life proves that old saying. We're here because Diontea is no longer on this earth. While he's not, the promise of his life is unfulfilled. The promise of the lives he would have touched in the future is extinguished."