BROOKS, Maine — A local man who was acquitted seven years ago in one of Waldo County’s most notorious murder trials was arrested this week on a charge of domestic violence terrorizing.
On Monday night, police dispatchers received a 911 call saying there was a domestic argument at 61-year-old Jerome Reynolds Jr.’s home on the Purple Heart Highway in Brooks, according to Chief Deputy Jeff Trafton of the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office.
While deputies were en route to the home, the dispatcher called to check on the woman involved.
“The dispatcher heard him say that if the cops showed up, he’d kill them,” Trafton said.
While police never dismiss such threats, it holds greater weight coming from Reynolds, the deputy said.
“This gentleman, we all remember when he did kill somebody,” Trafton said.
In 2005, a jury found Reynolds Jr. not guilty of murder in the shotgun slaying of his elderly father’s girlfriend the previous year.
Reynolds shot Janet Bacon, 60, in the face after she forced her way into his home. Bacon was wearing a nightgown and slippers when she went to the home to find Jerome Reynolds Sr.
The elder couple had argued earlier that day over the fact that he had played cards with a group of women at the local senior center.
Reynolds Jr. freely admitted to shooting the woman but claimed he was frightened of her and feared for the safety of his father.
Almost four years after the acquittal, however, a different judge ruled against Reynold’s Jr. in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Bacon’s son Linwood Walker, the personal representative of her estate. The judge in that case stated the Brooks man had acted with “implied malice” when he shot Bacon, and Reynolds was assessed punitive damages of $50,000 and compensatory damages of $308,108.50.
On Monday night, responding officers met with the woman who called 911 and were told that she is “terrified” of Reynolds Jr.
“He was telling her that if she called the cops, he would kill the cops. He was doing that to intimidate her, because she knew he’d done it,” Trafton said. “It placed her in terrible fear. He was using the threat of killing any cop she called as a threat to control her.”
Reynolds was taken to Waldo County Jail in Belfast, where he was booked. He has since been released on $10,000 surety bail, according to a jail official.
I think if I got away with murder, I’d keep a really low profile for the rest of my life…
I hope the jury that aquitted this man reads this and is so proud of itself.
its called she could leave if she is frighten of him.she knew he killed someone yet she went out with him anyhow.
That woman needs to find a safe place to be…preferably far far away.
Waldo County — the place where one can come and get away with murder. Got another waiting to go to trial — just let them keep crying self-defense! Never understood this case. Sixty year old enters the house hollering (not armed in any way) This guy leaves her alone with the elderly man that he fears she’s going to hurt in order to go to the bedroom closet to retrieve his gun. No call to the police until after it happens and when the police do get there they have to move her body from the enterance way of the home to enter (wouldn’t this mean that the women was either on her way out of the home or had never really entered the home beyond the entance way to begin with. Whatever, now he’ll do it again and claim she deserved it — it worked once why not.
Wow!
Where does one start with this one?
Maybe, if he’s coherent enough, he can sell the rights for a book to pay off the civil judgment against him.
OMG! How can a newspaper post such lies and get away with it????? None of this even happened!!! NONE of this is even true!!!!!
What part didn’t happen…The part where he killed a 60 year old by shooting her in the face, the part where he got away with it, the part where he was found guilty in a wrongful death suit, or the part where he threatened to shoot both his girlfriend and the police.
Everything that they said that happened that night. Of course they bring up the past. The past is the past. You guys weren’t there!!! So quick to judge when you have no idea what you are talking about!!
So the dispatcher is lying about hearing the threats? My grandmother told me that past acts will predict future behavior. I’m thinking you might be living in a little world of denial. Your friend has issues probably should have gotten help back with he shot someone old ladies face off in order to shut her up. The jury got that one wrong. He shot her in the mouth to shut her up — she wasn’t going after that old man…wasn’t anywhere near him when her face was blown off. Was found guilty of wrongful death — at least one judege saw past his lies.
Maybe you can get some t-shirts made up and grab 50 or so supporters and show up at the courthouse — because he’s a good ole’ boy.
And I suppose you were there that night the “old lady” was shot!! You have no idea what you are talking about!! Absolutely the dispatcher did Not hear him say anything!! He was in bed asleep when when the dispatcher called here!!
Does you name give you away as the women who called the police and now is having second thoughts because your whacked out man has said he was sorry — this time?
Keep reading the paper. It’s always true.
TROLL
Agreed.
should of left him in jail where he belonged
That makes sense, release this dangerous murderer on bail!!
I think BDN should start posting the names of the persons who are doing the bailing out of arrested subjects. I would like to know just how many are biled out by the same person that had them arrested. Thank You Having been a police officer, I think people would be surprised at this.