DC man who said he shot 13-year-old boy in self-defense convicted of manslaughter

Jack Moore | jmoore@wtop.com
August 16, 2024, 3:09 PM

The D.C. man who said he shot a 13-year-old boy in self-defense after encountering the teen in his neighborhood last year has been convicted of manslaughter. … The jury acquitted Jason Lewis of a more serious second-degree murder charge. … The verdict came after the jury in D.C. Superior Court spent several hours over two days deliberating the case.

During his weeklong trial, Lewis, a longtime D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation employee, took the stand, arguing he fatally shot Karon Blake in self-defense. Taking the stand in his own defense, Lewis said he feared for his life after encountering Blake and two other teens outside his home on Quincy Street in Northeast D.C. in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, 2023.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of D.C. said Lewis was the aggressor, who fired the first shot after seeing the teens breaking into cars that night and that he introduced deadly force into what amounted to a property crime.

In addition to manslaughter, the jury convicted Lewis of assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

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Jack Moore
Jack Moore joined WTOP.com as a digital writer/editor in July 2016. Previous to his current role, he covered federal government management and technology as the news editor at Nextgov.com, part of Government Executive Media Group.
jmoore@wtop.com