Thoughts on the Parrish cousins conviction?
Technically this is Powhatan and thus somewhat out of our “territory,” but it’s worthy of discussion, I feel. Some of you may not be familiar with this whole story, so here’s some background info: June 24, 2008, Powhatan High School athlete Tahliek Taliaferro and a group of his friends get in a confrontation with classmates […]
Technically this is Powhatan and thus somewhat out of our “territory,” but it’s worthy of discussion, I feel.
Some of you may not be familiar with this whole story, so here’s some background info:
- June 24, 2008, Powhatan High School athlete Tahliek Taliaferro and a group of his friends get in a confrontation with classmates Ethan Parrish, Joseph Parrish, and Stephanie Reynolds at a local hangout.
- Joseph Parrish tells Taliaferro and company, “If you want to fight, follow us.” Reynolds is driving.
- Taliaferro and two carloads of friends follow them.
- Ethan Parrish orders Stephanie Reynolds to pull over and attaches an 83-round clip to an semi-automatic assault rifle, but “assumes Taliaferro and the others would drive by.”
- Ethan Parrish mistakes a BB gun brandished by one of the passengers as a real weapon and opens fire on the passing car.
- Taliaferro is shot and killed.
- Both Parrishes are charged with first degree murder for the killing.
- March 23, 2009, jurors find the Parrishes guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Here are some links to the TD’s coverage on this: 1, 2, 3
Granted, we didn’t witness the trial and we don’t know what went down in during the deliberations, but going from first degree murder to involuntary manslaughter is a pretty big jump.
Anyone have thoughts on this?
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Valerie Catrow
Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
From what I understand, and I don’t know all the details, it all came down to that BB gun- it opens up a whole conversation about self defense and fear because they didn’t know that it was just a BB gun.
[INSERT ANGRY RACIST COMMENT HERE]
Yeah the BB gun thing is tricky. It reminds me of that craziness over at the Baskin-Robbins on Forest Hill:
http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7039220
Update: The jury has recommended Ethan Parrish get 11 years.
That story sounds even worse because they guy was even running away when the employee shot him. At that point the employee was in no danger. Eerily similar though.
Let this be known, rvanews… if we’re in a scuffle and you point a real-gun-looking BB gun at me, and I’m holding an 83-round assault rifle (and I normally am), consider yourself wasted.
I’d rather die than spend 11 years in a Virginia prison.
That is to say, I’d prefer the death penalty.
Stephanie Reynold (the driver of the car) is in court today. She’s also facing charges for first degree murder and use of a firearm. Wonder how things will play out for her.
this stinks to high heaven. powhatan, 2 white kids (1 felon) waste 1 black kid and shoot another in the woods, 11 white jurors… how is loading and firing a semi-automatic assault rifle into an occupied car involuntary?
if anybody knows of anybody getting organized about this, pass it on. this whole thing is disgusting.
It is called “involuntary” because there was no premeditation. The fact that there was a gun in the victim’s car helped the defendant’s argument that he shot his weapon in self-defence and wasnt trying to murder someone.
Good point. I agree that just because you have a gun with you doesn’t mean you’re intending to hurt someone.