ROCKFORD — A Rockford teen who repeatedly apologized to the family of a boy killed during what prosecutors described as a botched gun buy was sentenced on Wednesday to a decade in prison.
Retavian D. Jefferson, 19, is one of three Rockford teens charged in the March 29, 2016, shootout inside a Parkside Avenue garage that killed Akeem Smith, 17. Prosecutors say Smith met with Jefferson and two other teens that day so Smith could buy a gun. When a fight ensued, Smith, Martaivis M. Harmon and Jefferson were shot.
“Weapons and violence among youth in our community is a serious problem,” Judge John Lowry said before handing down the 10-year sentence.
Jefferson said he still has nightmares about what transpired that day.
"No mother should have to bury her son,” Jefferson said during the hearing, adding that he thought he was going to smoke pot with Javontavious Z. Benford and Harmon in the garage. “I didn’t wake up knowing someone was going to die. I had nothing to do with it.”
Jefferson said he didn’t know Harmon had a gun, or that Smith would come to the garage, armed with a gun, to buy another gun.
“I stayed down until the shooting was over,” Jefferson said. “I didn’t know I was shot 'til I got in the car.”
Jefferson pleaded guilty on Nov. 8 to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. He had been charged with first-degree murder.
While first-degree murder is punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison, second-degree murder is punishable by four to 20 years.
Assistant State’s Attorney Wendy Larson called for a prison term, but didn’t specify a length.
“This was a senseless murder,” she said. “He didn’t do anything to obtain help for Akeem Smith, who was left dying in a closed garage.”
Jefferson's defense attorney, Glenn Jazwiec, called for probation, arguing that Jefferson had no prior criminal record and no prior brushes with police and went to the garage that day only to smoke marijuana with Benford and Harmon.
Jefferson didn’t stay at the garage after the shooting because “he went to the emergency room because he got shot in the abdomen,” Jazwiec said, adding there’s no evidence Jefferson had a gun. “He was attempting to save his own life. He also was a victim and his life also was put in peril.”
As Smith lay on the garage floor after being shot, Larson said, he said Benford shot him. Benford, 19, who also is charged in Smith's slaying, is due back in court on Thursday.
Akeem Smith's mother, Tonia Smith, didn’t speak during or after the sentencing.
Jefferson’s mother, Reatha Patterson, said she had hoped for probation but was glad her son wasn’t sentenced to 20 years. With good time credit, she said, she hopes her son will serve just another year behind bars. Jefferson will have to serve 50 percent of the sentence and will receive credit for 636 days already spent in jail. He must spend two years on supervised release after prison.
“I’m just glad that it’s over,” Patterson said. “I (don’t have a) choice but to go with it.”
Jefferson was the second of the three defendants to take a plea.
Harmon, 19, was sentenced Nov. 3 to 13 years in prison on a downgraded charge of second-degree murder. He is expected to be paroled in October 2022, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Kristen Zambo: 815-987-1339; kzambo@rrstar.com; @KristenZambo