Overview
- Jaquarius Lewis received the maximum 50-year sentence for a 2024 murder and then allegedly struck his court-appointed attorney, John Petruzzi, in the courtroom.
- Petruzzi briefly lost consciousness and later said he learned from others that he had been hit, though he did not suffer serious injuries.
- Prosecutors have filed a separate count for injuring a person who is at least 65 years old, a charge that reflects Texas penalties for attacking an older victim.
- Court records show Lewis waived a jury and pleaded guilty in January, and the judge selected the top end of the 5- to 50-year range at sentencing.
- Reports differ on the timing of the sentencing and alleged punch, with some accounts citing March 28 and others placing sentencing on April 28, and it remains unclear whether the new charge will add prison time.