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- 4 Las Vegas teens plead guilty in classmate’s deadly beating (newsbreak.com)
Four teenagers from Las Vegas have pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in relation to the death of their high school peer. This plea, made on Tuesday, is part of an agreement with authorities, which avoids their trial as adults. Initially, these minors faced adult charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy after the incident in November that led to the death of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis Jr.
The violent act was recorded on a cellphone, receiving widespread attention on social media platforms. As per the terms of their guilty plea, the teens will serve time in a juvenile detention facility, though the exact duration remains unspecified, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Damien Hernandez’s attorney, Karen A. Connolly, shared with CBS News that Hernandez regrets his involvement in the event that led to Lewis’s death and is ready to face the consequences determined by the court.
In Clark County’s juvenile court system, offenders like these teens usually undergo rehabilitation programs instead of traditional incarceration, stated Brigid Duffy from the Clark County district attorney’s office.
Defense attorney Robert Draskovich described the plea deal as equitable. Nevertheless, there are no fixed sentencing guidelines within the plea; the final decision rests with the judge, as reported by KLAS-TV.
Contrarily, Jonathan Lewis’s mother, Mellisa Ready, expressed profound dissatisfaction with the plea agreement during court proceedings, lamenting the lack of severe accountability for her son’s death. She criticized the justice system for not keeping her informed about the agreement, insisting that the attackers be tried as adults due to the severity of their actions.
According to the District Attorney Steve Wolfson’s office, as relayed to The Associated Press, the plea deal met legal and factual challenges prudently, arguing that the juvenile system is more suited to rehabilitate young offenders.
The conflict that led to Lewis’s tragic death allegedly started over a dispute involving a stolen vape pen and wireless headphones. Lewis succumbed to his injuries six days after the brutal confrontation, which took place in an alley near Rancho High School. Surveillance footage and witness testimony described how Lewis was physically assaulted during the altercation, leading to fatal consequences.
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- 4 Las Vegas teens plead guilty in classmate’s deadly beating (newsbreak.com)