PORTLAND, Ore. — A judge sentenced a man on Friday to life in prison for murdering a Portland restaurant server at a bar last summer.
On July 2, 2023, Rahnique Jackson stabbed and killed 32-year-old Colin Smith near Southwest 12th Avenue and Madison Street in Southeast Portland. Smith had gotten off work at Ox Restaurant and went to a bar with friends, according to a family friend. The group was harassed by a man who used homophobic slurs, according to the family friend. Someone in the group was a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and Smith had stood up for that person, the family friend said.
Jackson was sentenced to life with the chance of parole after 25 years. He also received a 364-day sentence for bias crime in the second degree, which will run consecutively with the second-degree murder charge. Jackson will receive credit for his time already served.
On July 22, Jackson was also found guilty of those two charges, as well as one count of unlawful use of a weapon.
Colin Smith's family had asked the judge to sentence Jackson to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Several family members spoke during Friday's sentencing, including Colin Smith's mother.
"You should never walk among society again," Julie Smith said.
She also reflected on the kind of person that her son was.
"Colin was kind and generous with his thoughts and feelings," she said.
Colin Smith's sister also shared some words for Jackson.
"Mr. Jackson, you took my only brother, my only sibling, away from me," Danielle Smith said. "Mr. Jackson, it’s people like you that ruin this world."
During the sentencing, Jackson said he was sorry and blamed his behavior on alcohol.
"Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Colin and don’t regret it," Jackson said. "It’s so reckless and senseless; I wish I had control over alcohol."
Judge Shelley Russell talked about the impact Jackson's actions had on others.
"It destroyed two families, and it destroyed a community. And those were your actions, Mr. Jackson," Russell said. "You are going to have a very long time to reflect on those actions."