The Alexander City Outlook

Man pleads guilty to murder

Two people charged in connection with the 2009 robbery and murder of Alexander City resident Derrick Reynolds received prison sentences Monday.

Wetumpka resident Rodriguez Jackson, 25, pleaded guilty to felony murder and received a life sentence with parole from Circuit Judge Tom Young. Jackson had been charged with first-degree robbery and capital murder, which could carry a death sentence, but those charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.

Alexander City resident Jasmyne Gilbert, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and received a 20-year sentence.

Alexander City police found 20-year-old Reynolds with a bullet wound to his chest in an apartment off K Street in March 2009, according to a March 2009 Outlook story. Police said that the shooting began as a robbery.

Aimee Smith, one of Jackson’s attorneys, spoke on behalf of her client on Monday.

“He wants (Reynolds’) family to know he is truly sorry for what happened,” Smith said.

“Even though the robbery was planned, there was no intention for anyone to be hurt.”

E. Paul Jones, district attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, said he was pleased with the sentence.

“It’s always good to resolve a case of that significance and get it off the court docket and to let the family get it resolved,” he said.

Three other people have been charged in connection with the case. Wetumpka residents Andere Jackson and Cornelius Harris have been charged with murder, while Alexander City resident Carletta Brisker has been charged with robbery.

Jones said one of the defendants will go to trial at the next court term in March or April.

“Typically, we can’t try more than one of them in a particular term of court,” he said.