Jason Lewis Found Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter, Not Murder, in D.C. Teen's Shooting

Aug 16, 2024, 06:00 PM

Jason Lewis, a former D.C. Parks and Recreation employee, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of 13-year-old Karon Blake. The incident occurred in January 2023 when Lewis confronted Blake, who was reportedly breaking into cars in Northeast D.C. Lewis claimed he acted in self-defense, believing someone with Blake had fired at him first. A jury convicted Lewis of manslaughter and gun-related charges but found him not guilty of second-degree murder. The trial included testimony from Lewis, who expressed shock at the events, and concluded with the jury's decision after two days of deliberations.