📰 The Gutter Report: The System vs. Jekai Reid-John
When innocence beats the odds
Headlines across the country labeled him a “casino follower” — from NBC New York to ABC 7 and beyond. Prosecutors painted a picture of guilt. But in court — after two trials — a young man named Jekai Reid-John walked out innocent.
For four years, he sat behind bars without bail, his family scraping together whatever they could to fight the case. The first trial was reported as a total hang — but as Jekai tells us, that wasn’t the truth.
“It was published as a complete hung jury, and that’s completely false. It was actually a partial verdict where I went to trial on 11 charges… They came back with four acquittals — first degree murder, conspiracy to burglary, and two conspiracy to weapon charges.” — Jekai
📸 Exclusive sit-down — Elliott Carterr with Jekai and his father, Dwayne Reid.
Days later, a second trial ended in a complete acquittal. The last conspiracy charge was dropped almost immediately after.
And while the media reduced his story to a headline, LFTG Radio sat down with Jekai and his father, Dwayne Reid, for the first exclusive conversation since his name was cleared.
🎥 Watch the full interview: The System vs. Jekai Reid-John (YouTube)
🎧 Listen to the podcast: The System vs. Jekai Reid-John – When Innocence Beats the Odds
⚖️ Fighting the narrative
The case drew national headlines. Prosecutors leaned on chopped-up casino footage and EasyPass data to frame their story. But as Jekai explains, the reality was far different:
“They cropped the videos, they made a compilation… only a five to ten minute compilation. They took away all the videos of me gambling, eating, withdrawing money. They made it look like I was doing something I wasn’t doing.” — Jekai
🚘 From a defendant in headlines to a free man in control of his own story.
On the supposed murder weapon:
“They recovered a nine millimeter in an apartment where I used to go. It wasn’t my address… it was registered to somebody else. No DNA, no ballistics, nothing. But they still used the narrative that I was familiar with handguns.” — Jekai
🗣️ A father who never let the story die
Dwayne Reid carried the fight just as much as his son.
“I learned how to be a man from him through this. He stayed strong through the whole four years, all the odds against him. Yet he would not call that man’s name. That’s how a man is supposed to handle this situation.” — Dwayne Reid
👨👦 Father and son — Dwayne Reid stood tall for four years, refusing to let his son’s story end in silence.
💔 To the victim’s family
“I pray for that family every night… I wasn’t the actor who done the crimes, but I apologize for them having to go through that because of somebody I knew.” — Jekai
Dwayne Reid adds:
“Two innocent lives were affected — my son, and the man who lost his life. The prosecutors still have to do the right thing and get that family justice.” — Dwayne Reid
🔊 What comes next
“This right here 100% is my calling… I want to be the voice for the innocent still sitting in prison.” — Jekai
“We got time to make up — as a family, too.” — Dwayne Reid
Not for clicks — for clarity.
Good morning and Godspeed.
— Elliott Carterr
