A man jailed for 50 years for murder is accused of punching his own defence lawyer in court, with Jaquarius Lewis, 27, allegedly attacking attorney John Petruzzi during sentencing
A man, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison for murder is now being accused of punching his lawyer. Jaquarius Lewis, 27, allegedly attacked his defence attorney, John Petruzzi.
Lewis reportedly hit Petruzzi in the face on March 28 in a Harris County courtroom, in Texas, USA. Lewis was in the court dealing with a deadly 2024 shooting case to which he had already pleaded guilty.
With a potential sentence ranging from five to 50 years, the courtroom descended into chaos once he heard the punishment handed down. Petruzzi subsequently told Fox26: “At that point apparently, I was out.
“My client hit me in the face.”
He further recalled: “People in the courtroom said I fell back in the chair, hit a counter and apparently fell to the ground.” Petruzzi reportedly said he only grasped how serious it was when he came to and saw the emergency and first responders around him.
The lawyer was later reportedly told by someone in the courtroom that an attack had allegedly taken place. He said: “I was kind of shocked.
“I’ve done this a long time, and I’ve never had a client hit me before.” Petruzzi, who says he has defended hundreds of murder suspects over 46 years, reportedly was not badly hurt, the Daily Mail reported.
Lewis is now facing an additional allegation of injuring an elderly person, though it’s not yet clear whether that would extend his prison time. The sentencing stems from the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Quincy Johnson in Houston, according to the Daily Mail.
The Houston Police Department recalled: “Officers responded to a shooting call at the above address and found the victim unresponsive in his apartment. Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the man, later identified as Mr Johnson, deceased from a gunshot wound.
“According to witnesses, Johnson was standing outside on his balcony when two male suspects walked by and shot him. Investigators reportedly said surveillance images of two suspects were later released.
Acting on a tip, officers arrested Lewis the next day and identified him as the shooter, as per the Daily Mail. Police said the second person seen in the images was questioned and released without charge.
In the end, Lewis was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He was given the maximum punishment recommended by the state in a Harris County courtroom.
Furthermore, Lewis will serve his 50-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), although officials have not yet publicly confirmed which prison unit he will be sent to permanently.
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