The mother of one of the men convicted for the murder of young footballer Cody Fisher has avoided jail after helping her son attempt to flee the country in the days following the brutal attack. The case, which has gripped Birmingham and the wider football community, reached a dramatic conclusion this week, as Jahzeen Carpenter, 40, was handed a two-year suspended sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court for her role in trying to help her son, Kami Carpenter, escape justice.
Cody Fisher, a 23-year-old from Redditch with a promising football career, was fatally stabbed on the dance floor at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham, late on Boxing Day, December 26, 2022. According to The Sun and The Independent, the attack was a premeditated act of revenge, orchestrated by Remy Gordon after a minor incident two days earlier, when Fisher had briefly and inadvertently come into contact with Gordon in a different club. Prosecutor Michael Duck KC explained, “There was a brief coming together of Cody Fisher and Remy Gordon that night. Cody Fisher did little more than touch Remy Gordon’s back. Remy Gordon was looking for an argument with somebody.”
Fisher, a former Birmingham City Academy player who also played for Stratford Town, Bromsgrove Sporting, Stourbridge FC, and Kidderminster Harriers Academy, was attacked with a weapon that had been smuggled through security into the nightclub. The incident, described in court as an “awful revenge,” left Fisher’s family and the football community in shock. Gordon was found to have sent threatening Snapchat messages to friends just 45 minutes after the initial incident, seeking help to identify Fisher and threatening to “shank him up.”
Following the murder, Jahzeen Carpenter sprang into action to help her son evade capture. On December 27, just one day after the fatal stabbing, she drove her Mercedes convertible from Birmingham to London, with her son in tow and two suitcases packed with clothes. Police investigations later revealed that Jahzeen Carpenter had researched flights from Gatwick Airport to Kingston, Jamaica, and her son had even booked a seat on a flight scheduled to depart at 1:20 PM on December 28, 2022.
Detectives traced a flurry of calls and messages between Jahzeen Carpenter, her son, and her sister Nadine Taylor during the journey from Birmingham to London. Internet searches included "Crane Nightclub Digbeth," "Kami Carpenter," and "How to know if your phone is being tracked." The court heard dozens of voice notes between Jahzeen Carpenter and a contact in Jamaica known as 'Personal #', recorded between December 22 and 28. In one of these, Carpenter was heard saying, “I just need to get him there and get him safe.”
But the escape attempt was foiled. At around 8:30 AM on December 28, 2022, officers swooped in and arrested both Jahzeen and Kami Carpenter outside flats in the Lewisham area of South East London. The pair were detained before Kami could board the flight to Jamaica, effectively ending their short-lived bid for freedom.
After a lengthy investigation and trial, justice began to catch up with those involved. In March 2024, following a 10-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Remy Gordon, 23, was found guilty of murder and affray, while Kami Carpenter, then 22, was found guilty of murder by majority verdict. Both men were convicted for their roles in the premeditated killing of Cody Fisher. Kami Carpenter was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 25 years before parole eligibility.
Meanwhile, the case against Jahzeen Carpenter unfolded separately. On September 5, 2025, a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court found her guilty of attempting to help her son flee, knowing or believing him to be guilty of murder. Despite the seriousness of the charge, the judge opted for leniency, handing down a two-year suspended sentence on October 15, 2025. As part of her punishment, Carpenter must also complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities.
Throughout her trial, Jahzeen Carpenter maintained her innocence regarding her son’s involvement in the murder, insisting she did not know about his role when she drove him to the airport and continued to believe in his innocence even after sitting through every day of his trial. The court, however, was not convinced by her defense, especially in light of the evidence of her planning and the voice notes played during proceedings.
The outcome has left Cody Fisher’s family devastated. In a statement released after the sentencing, they said, “After hearing the sentence this afternoon as a family we are absolutely devastated. She should've been made accountable for her actions. It's taken nearly four years to get to this point and we feel as though we have been let down by the justice system. We are the ones left with the life sentence, and we do not feel as though justice has been served for Cody.”
The murder of Cody Fisher, a young man with a bright future in football, has sent shockwaves through his hometown and the broader footballing community. Fisher’s career, which began at Birmingham City Academy and saw him play for several local clubs, was tragically cut short by a senseless act of violence. The fact that the attack was premeditated and carried out as an act of “retribution” for an innocuous incident has only deepened the sense of loss and outrage.
The case has also raised uncomfortable questions about the role of family loyalty in criminal proceedings. Jahzeen Carpenter’s actions—driving her son to London, researching flights, and communicating with contacts in Jamaica—were viewed by the court as a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice. Yet, the court’s decision to suspend her sentence has sparked debate about the balance between compassion and accountability, especially when families become entangled in the aftermath of violent crime.
For now, the legal chapter of this tragic story has drawn to a close, but the pain for those left behind is far from over. As Cody Fisher’s family so poignantly stated, they are the ones left serving a life sentence, grappling with the loss of a son, brother, and friend whose promising life was stolen in an instant.
