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Accomplice In Powhatan Shooting Found Guilty

Published: May 26, 2009, Richmond Times Dispatch

Stephanie Reynolds is free today after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor charges in the fatal shooting of Powhatan High School student Tahliek Taliaferro last June.

Powhatan Circuit Judge Thomas V. Warren accepted Reynolds' guilty pleas, reducing a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter to a misdemeanor conviction as an accessory after the fact in Taliaferro's death, as well as assault and battery in the wounding of Courtney Jones, a passenger in the car when Taliaferro was shot on June 24. She also pleaded guilty as an accessory after the fact on a charge stemming from the illegal possession of a weapon by Joey Parrish, who has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Taliaferro's death.

Reynolds told the court she did not want to comment, except to say she was very sorry for what happened and for her involvement, and that she hopes to continue her education.

Warren sentenced Reynolds to 36 months in jail and counted the 10 months she had spent incarcerated as time served in the sentence. He warned her that she remains on probation for five years and could have to serve the remaining 26 months if she violates the law.

However, the judge and prosecutor, Commonwealth's Attorney Robert B. Beasley Jr., praised Reynolds for her cooperation in the investigation that led to the convictions of cousins Ethan and Joey Parrish in the death of Taliaferro. Both men face up to 10 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and 12 months in jail for assault and battery.

Beasley said today that without her involvement in the investigation "we wouldn't have had a case." However, Taliaferro's mother, Kaa Caputo, was among about 20 people protesting the plea agreement and sentence outside the Powhatan courthouse today. Caputo called the sentence an injustice. She cited the case of Tyler Binsted, a Virginia Commonwealth University student who was shot to death in Richmond last year. The driver of the getaway car in that case, LaPrecious Austin, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for her role in the robbery that led to Binsted's death.

Caputo said Reynolds had fled the scene of the shooting and did not surrender to police for three days. Reynolds could have walked away at any time in the incident but did not, Taliaferro's mother said. Originally, Reynolds had been charged with first-degree murder, but the charge was reduced in March after she testified for the prosecution in the Parrishes' trial. She was released then on bond pending today's appearance. The Parrishes had been charged with murder but were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery. They are scheduled for sentencing June 4.

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