Four teenagers from Las Vegas accused in the fatal beating of their high school classmate have agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in a deal that spares them from being tried as adults, according to their lawyers. Initially facing charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy as adults for the November death of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis Jr., the teens reached the agreement on Thursday during a hearing before Clark County District Judge Tierra Jones.
The plea deal involves sending the four teens to juvenile court for an unspecified period of detention in a juvenile facility. The agreement stipulates that should any of the teenagers reject the deal, all four would revert to facing adult charges, said Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani.
The teenagers, not named by The Associated Press due to being minors at the time of the attack on November 1, 2023, were part of a group of nine arrested in connection with Lewis’ death. The incident occurred just off the grounds of Rancho High School, where all the students were enrolled, following a disagreement over a vape pen and wireless headphones allegedly stolen from Lewis’ friend.
During the sentencing, one of the four defendants’ attorney characterized the fatal fight as a tragedy, emphasizing that prosecuting the teenagers as adults would have been another tragedy. The attorney expressed the hope for his client to complete high school, move forward positively, and contribute constructively to society.
Melissa Ready, Lewis’ mother, expressed her shock at the plea agreement, declaring that she had been led to believe the teens would plead guilty to murder in the adult court system. Responding to the criticism, the district attorney’s office defended the resolution as a careful balance between the severity of the offense and potential legal hurdles in a trial.
Juvenile court was deemed the most appropriate venue for punishing the defendants for their actions while also providing opportunities for rehabilitation, according to a statement from Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson’s office. In Nevada, teenagers aged 13 or older at the time of the crime can be tried as adults for murder charges.
The tragic event transpired following Lewis removing his red sweatshirt and throwing a punch at one of the students, as revealed in court transcripts. The situation quickly escalated as the suspects proceeded to physically assault Lewis, resulting in severe injuries that led to his death six days later. Upon discovering Lewis in a grievous state, school staff intervened by calling emergency services and offering assistance.
