February 8, 2024
2 Las Vegas Teens Admit to Role in Fatal Beating Of 17-Year-Old
Two of out the nine teenagers charged in the killing of Jonathan Lewis admitted to voluntary to manslaughter earlier this week.
In November 2023, a group of teenagers in Las Vegas kicked, stomped, and punched a 17-year-old until he became unconscious, an assault that was captured on video.
Now, two of the teens involved in the killing have admitted to voluntary manslaughter.
According to The Las Vegas Review-Journal, two out of the nine teenagers charged in the killing of a Rancho High School student, Jonathan Lewis, have pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Both boys are under the age of 16 and had their cases handled in family court. The pleas were confirmed by Brigid Duffy, director of the Clark County district attorney’s office’s juvenile division.
“It goes without saying that the unintended loss of life involved in this situation is tragic and regrettable,” said an attorney, Richard Bryant, of one of the defendants in an emailed statement. “We are hopeful that the services provided through the Juvenile Justice programs will assist our client and the other involved youth in their rehabilitation and maturity in the wake of this incident.”
Duffy explained that juveniles in the family court system are not given an exact sentence but are held in custody until completion of rehabilitation programs at a correctional facility. Juveniles cannot be held in custody past the age of 21.
The two were part of a group of up to 10 teenagers who allegedly jumped on Lewis near the campus of Rancho High School in Las Vegas. The 17-year-old died six days later from the beating.
Mobile phone videos and surveillance footage revealed Lewis initially pushed a student into an alleyway near the school. After taking off his sweatshirt, he attacked another student. He was then surrounded by a group of teenagers who attacked him, according to transcripts of testimony during a grand jury hearing.
The news of the plea deals comes after four of the teenagers were charged and indicted with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit battery—Treavion Randolph, 16; Dontral Beaver, 16; Damien Hernandez, 18; and Gianni Robinson, 17—pleaded not guilty last month. They were all charged as adults.