Minimum of 20 years for knife killer
A MAN has been jailed for life after he stabbed another man outside a nightclub in Birmingham who he believed had ‘disrespected him’, a court heard.
Zechelle Reid plunged a knife into the chest of 25-year-old Jason Bentley-Morrison during a fight in front of Lab 11 in Oxford Street, Digbeth.
Reid, 31, of no fixed address, was found guilty of murder following a two-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court. He must serve a minimum of 20 years before being considered for parole.
Reid had gone to Oxford Street in the early hours of Sunday, August 22 last year and was outside as Mr Bentley-Morrison, aged 25, was leaving.
Reid appeared to ‘mouth’ something to the victim. At this point Mr Bentley-Morrison appeared to throw a punch at the defendant. Both men adopted a fighting or boxing stance as they faced each other. They then moved across the road followed by a large crowd, the court heard.
Reid made “lunging” movements towards Mr Bentley-Morrison. The victim then collapsed, falling face forward and later died in hospital. Reid, who denied the charge, had claimed he had been acting in self defence.
Judge Paul Farrer QC said that when Reid had turned up at the club he had been frustrated that it had closed its doors.
He said: “It was at this point Mr
Bentley-Morrison left the club. The CCTV demonstrates that he was on his own. He was happy and relaxed and plainly was not looking for trouble. You could have simply walked away but you had been disrespected in front of people in the vicinity and you followed him intent on retribution. You were bouncing on your toes clearly intent on violence.”
The judge said he could not be sure that Reid had taken the knife to the scene but added: “It was 19 seconds before you used it. You took possession of the knife and kept your hand by your side.
“You took the victim by surprise and pursued him over the distance of several car lengths. You lunged forward and stabbed him to the right side of the abdomen.
“That was a significant blow. You stabbed the deceased once. That caused catastrophic internal bleeding.”
In a statement Tony Bentley, a cousin, said: “Jason was extremely family orientated. He had a genuine love for people and life. He would always go out of his way to help others.
“He would light up the darkest rooms that he entered. He was our hope, joy and motivation and some times our saviour. That night that light was senselessly extinguished.”
Mark Heywood QC, defending, said that Reid’s intention was to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill and added: “That violence would not have begun if Mr Bentley-Morrison had not, misguidedly, landed the first blow.”