Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Boy sentenced to camp, probation in slaying

15-year-old shot and killed his best friend in game of FBI

A 15-year-old who shot and killed his best friend was sentenced Tuesday to a youth camp and probation for the slaying.

Calling Jake Reeder's actions "totally inappropriate behavior," Family Court Judge William Voy ordered the teen to serve time at the Spring Mountain Youth Camp, where he will receive counseling and education before his release on probation.

The average stay at the camp near Mount Charleston is six months, according to the camp's Web site.

"Now he has two lives to live for, his own and Dustin's," Voy said.

Reeder was arrested April 21 for shooting Dustin Osborn while the teens played FBI in Reeder's apartment in Henderson. Osborn had ditched classes at Greenspun Junior High School that day to celebrate his 14th birthday.

Reeder was initially charged as an adult with second-degree murder, but a plea agreement reduced to the charge to involuntary manslaughter and moved the case to Juvenile Court.

Osborn's mother, Andrea Glaser, asked Voy to put Reeder behind bars.

"Everyone has consequences for their actions, and I feel he should do some jail time ... because my son will never come back," she said.

In her arguments, prosecutor Teresa Lowry said Reeder's father taught him about gun safety his entire life, so the teen should have known the dangers of pointing a gun at someone.

"He understands what guns are capable of doing, yet he can hold a gun to his friend's head and pull the trigger," Lowry said.

Lowry also questioned Reeder's truthfulness. He told police that he and Osborn smoked marijuana before the shooting, but Osborn's toxicology tests showed no signs of the drug.

Reeder also told investigators that the gun was not loaded, but it was fully loaded when police found it.

Reeder's lawyers wanted him released to his family so he could continue counseling and schooling.

"He's living with the consequences of knowing he took his friend's life," said Susan Roske, a deputy public defender.

When asked if he had anything to say, Reeder, who cried through most of the hearing, stood and choked out the words, "No, sir."

Before handing out the sentence, Voy said the shooting was no accident, given that Reeder used marijuana before the shooting and was playing with a gun.

"There are no excuses," Voy said. "Maybe that's why Jake didn't want to say anything, because there are no excuses."

After his release from the youth camp, Reeder will remain on probation until he turns 18. Any probation violations before then could send him to the Department of Children and Family Services and a likely stint at the Youth Training Center in Elko.

The families of Reeder and Osborn declined to comment after the hearing.

Public Defender Phil Kohn said Reeder feels terrible about the incident.

"I've seen people let something like this destroy their lives, and I've seen people try to help others to make sure it doesn't happen again," Kohn said. "All I can do is hope the counseling works."