The mother of a convicted murderer, who had schemed to help her son escape to Jamaica after he fatally stabbed a footballer, has managed to avoid a prison sentence. Jahzeen Carpenter, aged 40, had driven her son, Kami Carpenter, to London just one day following his vicious attack on Cody Fisher at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham, on Boxing Day in 2022.
Authorities apprehended both Jahzeen and Kami Carpenter outside an apartment complex in Lewisham, southeast London, around 8:30 a.m., two days after the tragic incident. During their arrest, police confiscated over £5,500 in cash from Kami Carpenter’s white Mercedes convertible. Additionally, her son was discovered carrying two suitcases filled with clothes, indicating plans for departure.
Investigations revealed that Jahzeen Carpenter had conducted research on a flight from Gatwick Airport to Kingston, Jamaica on her phone. Her son, Kami, had secured a seat on this flight, which was scheduled to take off at 1:20 p.m. on the same day they were detained.
Following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Jahzeen Carpenter, residing in Peak Drive, Lower Gornal, was found guilty of assisting an offender. Despite the gravity of her actions, she has managed to avoid incarceration, adding another layer to this complex and tragic case.
It emerged she had researched a flight from Gatwick Airport to Kingston, Jamaica, on her phone that her son had booked a seat on – which was due to depart at 1.20pm on the day of the arrest.
After a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Jahzeen Carpenter, of Peak Drive, Lower Gornal, was found guilty of assisting an offender.
Yesterday, she was given a prison sentence of two years, which was suspended for two years.
Detective Inspector Phil Poole, from West Midland Police’s Homicide team, said: ‘Cody’s murder left his family and friends devastated and struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
Cody Fisher with his girlfriend Jess Chatwin, who was in the nightclub when he was murdered
Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter were today both found guilty of Mr Fisher’s murder
Jahzeen Carpenter (pictured), 40, drove Kami Carpenter to London a day after he murdered Cody Fisher at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham on Boxing Day, 2022
‘But while his loved ones were grieving, Carpenter’s mother was trying to help her son avoid capture and flee to Jamaica, which would have severely hampered our investigation and delayed justice.
‘We worked really closely with colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, who were able to move in and arrest both of them before Kami Carpenter could leave the country.
‘It meant we were able to achieve justice for Cody’s family, and our thoughts remain with them to this day.
‘The conviction just shows how many lives and families knife crime can destroy.’
Last year, Kami Carpenter, now 24, was jailed for life for Mr Fisher’s murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years before he could be considered for release.
Another man, Remy Gordon, was ordered to serve at least 26 years after being convicted of the same offence.
Mr Fisher, aged 23, had accidentally bumped into Gordon at Popworld in Solihull and the pair exchanged a few words.
But Gordon refused to forget the encounter, and set about trying to identify Mr Fisher from social media images he found of him on other nights out.
Officers arrested both Carpenters outside flats in the Lewisham area of South East London at around 8.30am, two days later
After finding out his name, he found out he was likely to be at the Crane on Boxing Day.
Inside the Crane, just before midnight on Boxing Day, Mr Fisher was surrounded before being headbutted, punched and kicked. He was stabbed once in the chest and died from the wound at the scene.
Mr Fisher suffered a stab wound to the heart and despite his girlfriend Jess Chatwin desperately trying to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.
His family said his murder has ‘ruined everybody’s life’ and had been ‘for nothing’.
His girlfriend, Jess Chatwin, who was with him at the nightclub when he was stabbed and called the police, said: ‘The first thing I thought (was that) he’d been knocked out, so I was trying to wake him up.
‘Then I thought I need to put him in the recovery position so he doesn’t choke, and that’s when I put my hand down and that’s when I felt the knife.’
Cody’s mother, Tracey Fisher, described him as her ‘youngest boy, best friend and her angel’.
‘Cody’s father, brother and the rest of his living family who miss him dearly are suffering. Cody truly never had a bad bone in his body. He loved teaching young children,’ she said.
Murder victim Cody Fisher is pictured with his mother Tracey, who described her son as ‘truly never having a bad bone in his body’
Tracey Fisher speaks outside Birmingham Crown Court after Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter were jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 and 25 years respectively
‘He loved, cared for and respected his family. He had more living to do and so much more love and kindness to give to the world.
‘Cody taught us all so much about ourselves and we miss him every single minute of every day.
‘I will not get to see him go on to do more amazing things, like inspire many more children and adults as he used to do, have holidays with him and go to his footy matches every week to see him kick a ball, like he’d done from the day he could walk.
‘Sadly, I will never see my son live on through his children and as such never enjoy any grandchildren from him.
‘Cody Fisher was brave, fearless and the most genuine soul I knew. I had the pleasure and honour to call him my son. May you rest in peace my beautiful boy.’
Mr Fisher’s brother Stephen said: ‘It’s just ruined my family, it’s ruined everybody’s life.
‘We all kind of lived and done our best for Cody and now he’s no longer here. It’s hard to come to terms with what to do.’
(Left to right): Jess Chatwin, Cody Fisher’s girlfriend, Tracey Fisher, mother of Cody Fisher, and Christian Fisher, father of Cody Fisher, speaking outside Birmingham Crown Court
Cody Fisher’s girlfriend describes his Birmingham nightclub stabbing death
Carpenter was convicted of murdering aspiring Birmingham City academy footballer Cody Fisher, 23, pictured
