On a Sunday evening in Portsmouth, Virginia, the life of 21-year-old Devonte Reed was tragically cut short. On December 4, 2016, Reed was shot on Highland Avenue, becoming the second victim of a double shooting that evening. While the first victim survived after walking into a hospital with a gunshot wound, Reed was found by officers at the scene and succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the death of the young Black man led to the arrests of two suspects, Jamie Patterson and
Alphonson Harridon. Both men were charged with the murder of Devonte Reed. The complexities of the legal process that followed highlighted the gravity of the crime.
In the course of the judicial proceedings, Patterson and Harridon were presented with a plea agreement. The deal offered a reduced sentence in exchange for guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter and felony possession of a firearm. Despite the potential for a significantly lighter sentence compared to what they might face if convicted at trial, both men chose to reject the offer, opting instead to proceed to trial. Information regarding the outcome of the trial, including any convictions or sentences, is not available in online sources.
