Two brothers convicted of tampering with evidence

Two Jackson brothers were convicted this week on charges of hiding a rifle that was fired at a crowd, striking a passing vehicle.

Cody A. Reid, 17, and his brother, Lonnie D. Reid, 19, both of 4837 Old Cape Road East, were convicted by Associate Circuit Judge Gary A. Kamp on Monday of misdemeanor tampering with evidence for the Aug. 8 shooting near their home.

The brothers stood trial two weeks ago for the incident in which they told police in statements read during testimony that a group of people arrived at their home and threatened them with clubs.

Cody Reid fired a .22-caliber rifle to scare the group, according to the written statement read in court. The gunshot struck a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme traveling down Old Cape Road. No one was injured.

The defendants later hid the weapon under a relative's home, but told police later where it was located.

Accused of firing the weapon, Reid was convicted of misdemeanor discharging a firearm across a public highway.

"My son shooting that gun was wrong, but he was scared," said the boys' mother Geri Reid. "They came up here to hurt my kids."

Reid said that the group could have seriously injured both her sons had Cody Reid not fired the warning shot. She claimed that the vehicle struck, which Cody did not know he hit, was not moving and its driver had come to watch a fight.

The driver, Lee Keller, testified he did not know most of the people at the Reid's home and was driving by when he noticed his passenger window shot.

The judge's ruling comes after reviewing briefs prepared by Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle and assistant public defender Jennifer Booth that argued various points in the charges.

Booth stated that Swingle failed to prove that Cody Reid knowingly fired toward the road and the defendant indicated striking the vehicle was unintentional. But Swingle argued that Reid knew he was firing toward the crowd, which was near the road.

In addition to the tampering charge, Kamp also convicted Lonnie Reid on misdemeanor minor in possession of alcohol for having a 0.031 percent blood-alcohol content level.

Both Reids were scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. Oct. 12 They could receive up to two years in jail.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127