Four high school students have been charged with murder in the deadly beating of their schoolmate in Las Vegas. The fight was captured on cellphone video and has been widely shared on social media. The students have been charged as adults by prosecutors.
Four teenagers, aged 16 and 17, are facing charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit battery.
District Attorney Steve Wolfson explained after the court hearing that his office decided not to press charges of first-degree murder against the teenagers. He stated that the evidence suggests that the assault was not a planned act.
On Tuesday, a judge granted the request of both prosecutors and defense attorneys to transfer the four teens from the county jail to the juvenile detention center. The decision was made to ensure the safety of the teens. Despite being held without bail, the transfer will provide a safer environment for them.
Authorities have arrested eight students aged between 13 to 17 in relation to the brawl on November 1, which resulted in the tragic death of 17-year-old Jonathan Lewis Jr. The remaining students, who are below the age of 16, are awaiting separate hearings.
As they are minors, the Associated Press has chosen not to reveal the identities of the students.
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Wolfson disclosed that another student had been arrested in connection with the incident. According to Las Vegas police, they suspect that 10 students were involved in the assault, and they are currently working to track down and identify these individuals.
On Tuesday, the police department’s spokesperson stated that they do not have immediate information regarding the ninth arrest made in the case.
According to reports, the students of Rancho High School in east Las Vegas had planned to meet outside of school hours to engage in a physical altercation over stolen items. These items, as reported by the victim’s friend, included a pair of wireless headphones and a vape pen.
According to Police Lt. Jason Johansson, the footage of the altercation depicts the victim removing his shirt in anticipation of the fight. However, as soon as he does so, the 10 students quickly surround him and forcefully bring him down to the ground, unleashing a barrage of kicks, punches, and stomps on him.
In describing the video, he criticized it as being “very void of humanity.” He also pointed out that the victim did not appear to be defending himself while being attacked.
According to the coroner’s office in Las Vegas, Lewis suffered from severe head trauma and other injuries that led to his hospitalization. Sadly, he passed away a week later due to the severity of his injuries.
If a teenager in Nevada is accused of murder and they were at least 13 years old when the alleged crime occurred, they may face charges as an adult. However, they have the right to a certification hearing, during which a family court judge will review evidence and the teen’s personal history before deciding whether to transfer them to the adult court system.
In Nevada, if a teenager aged 16 or older is accused of murder, they can be charged as an adult without going through a certification hearing. Recently, a judge transferred the cases of four older students due to this law. According to police records, one of the accused turned 16 on the same day of the fight.
On Tuesday, Robert Draskovich, the lawyer representing one of the 17-year-old students involved in the fight, stated that the videos of the altercation circulating on social media are “incomplete.”
“He said he will review all the videos with his investigator to determine the actual events,” stated the speaker.
According to Police Homicide Lt. Jason Johansson, the victim’s headphones and vape pen were believed to have been stolen from his friend earlier in the week. The disagreement led the students to agree to meet up in the alleyway to resolve the matter through physical confrontation.
According to Johansson, the victim and his friend were not the intended targets of the brawl. However, they ended up walking to the alleyway after school, where the incident took place, as per the detectives’ speculation.
According to the victim’s father, Jonathan Lewis Sr., on a fundraising page set up to cover funeral and medical expenses, his son was attacked for defending his friend. However, the father has not yet given any interviews regarding the incident.
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