Lewis is the first of three men to stand trial for the attempted carjacking and killing of 59-year-old Leslie Baker on Memorial Day 2020.
“Hopefully it’ll start to send a message that our community and our office and law enforcement is tired of seeing these young kids commit such violent crimes that have become popular on social media,” said prosecutor Tommy Adams.
Prosecutors said that attempted carjacking was part of a string of violent crimes.
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They built their case around surveillance video, and more importantly, with Lewis’s own social media posts in which they say he bragged about his crimes.
They include several videos of Lewis flashing a gun, including one posted just a day and a half after the attempted carjacking in which he shot and killed Baker along with a livestream of a high-speed police chase days later.
“I think that was the final nail in the coffin for him. And I know that’s a terrible phrase, but the bragging about it and the awful things he had to say, the jury couldn’t get past that,” he said.
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For prosecutors, the trend of crimes posted for views is a priority.
“It is something that we are constantly looking at because that is the day and age that we live in now,” said Krystal Biggins.
Lewis was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.
Antony Isaiah Taylor and Deng Chen Ajack were also arrested in connection with the murder. They’ve yet to stand trial.