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Loading ...50-years plus for gay man who shot AA sponsor
11.07.2008 3:26pm EST
(Long Beach, California) A California man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for shooting to death his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor at a meeting.
Jurors in Long Beach convicted Scott Gordon Reynolds of first-degree murder in the slaying of 33-year-old Uriel Noriega.The 29-year-old Reynolds was sentenced Thursday. He testified he snapped after Noriega told other members at an AA meeting two years ago that Reynolds is gay. Reynolds said it was a secret confided only to his mother and AA sponsor.
Reynolds claimed he brought the weapon to the meeting at a church because he planned to commit suicide in front of fellow AA members.
But prosecutor Patrick O’Crowley says that motive was never substantiated during the trial for Reynolds.
I’m not so sure that the 12th Tradition applies here, nor the Gay hatred thing. Not to say that a principle didn’t get severly mangled if the sponsor did in fact divulge 5th Step confessions. repeating things shared during a 5th Step has caused much damage, and this is another example of just how much responsibility we as sponsors have. If you are asked to sponsor someone don’t take it lightly, and don’t take picking one lightly either.
I’m not so sure that the 12th Tradition applies here, nor the Gay hatred thing. Not to say that there isn’t a priciple that was severly mangled if this sponsor did in fact divulge 5th step confessions. Repeating 5th step confessions has caused tremendous damage. This is another example of how much trust, and responsibility we have as sponsors. If you are asked, don’t take it lightly, and don’t take picking a sponsor lightly.
Very tragic. Its’ hard to know what people will do in the grip of alcoholic insanity. The sponsor was clearly in error, but nobody gets perfect in this program.
Obviously, the shooter wasn’t working the program or maybe taking his meds.
I’ve heard and experienced many tragedies around AA and the group suffers as much as anybody. It’s not a magic wand to fix us, we’ve got to work this thing; top priority or, as in this case, everything goes away.
I also think the Gay hatred fostered by the right wing has alot to do with this. I’ve noticed myself how people’s attitudes have changed towards us in the last 8 years.
I’m sad about this. I hope some people learn a very important lesson here.
The sponsor was grossly negligent of his duty as a sponsor to break the anonymity of his sponsoree and divulge personal information. It violates Tradition 12: “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”
It is still an awful reality in the 21st Century that gay people can be persecuted and spiritually assaulted…even in a 12-Step program. My home GLBT meeting of a 12-Step program emphasizes the 12th Tradition at every meeting, reminding people that those present can endure more far-reaching consequences than the average person if their anonymity is broken.
That being said, murder and suicide are probably the most selfish acts a human being can undertake. The murderer must face the consequences of his actions, no matter his sexual orientation.
I bet that they all needed a drink after witnessing that.
But seriously, let’s hope that Scott goes away for a very long period of time. This is almost like the “gay panic” defense all twisted.
Well, shooting someone at an AA meeting takes ’sharing our experience strength and hope’ to a whole new level. For me it is akin to shooting one’s priest in front of the congregation and in the church. Unfortunately if the sponsor divulged the contents of his sponsee’s 4th step, then he violated one of, if not the most sacred responsibilities that AA members take upon themselves. Violation of that oath does not justify murder…but I sincerely hope that other members of AA can learn from this experience and perhaps see their roles as sponsors (if they are) in a whole new light. It is a sacred responsibility and should be honored as such. It is not a source that is rich in coffee talk subjects. It is very sad that someone else wasn’t able to step in and arbitrate a different outcome. Very sad indeed.