A jury on January 5 delivered a guilty verdict for Jermaine Leon Thurston, a 22-year-old who said he shot another man in self defense. Initially charged with second degree murder, Thurston acted without malice when he shot Lamont Antonio Reaves jurors decided in the Charlottesville Circuit Court, convicting him of voluntary manslaughter.
On June 18, the two men argued at Wolfie’s Nightclub, then headed over to Friendship Court, where Reaves armed himself with a baseball bat, and Thurston wielded a 9mm handgun he says he started carrying for protection. Though the Friendship Court altercation blew over without incident, Reaves followed Thurston to his home on S. First Street. There, Reaves put up his fists and said he wanted to fight Thurston, who fired the 9mm once, hitting Reaves’ chest. Thurston fled but called police and told them what had happened. Reaves later died at UVA hospital.
Thurston’s defense attorney Debbie Wyatt argued that her client was a good kid who had grown up around violence but had managed to stay out of trouble.
The jury recommended Thurston serve two years.
The case marked the second city killing and the first city murder charge for 2006. Of the two other killings: One occurred March 14 on Sixth Street SW—a 27-year-old man turned himself in, but no charges have been filed. The third killing occurred December 29 in Friendship Court on Garrett Street—police are still seeking suspects.