Feb. 06--ST. JOSEPH -- The jury hadn't even taken their seats but and John Lewis grew to become overwhelmed with emotion as his homicide trial was about to start. As Berrien County Trial Courtroom Choose Gordon Hosbein started to swear within the 14 jurors, Lewis wiped tears from his face.
Tuesday was the primary day of trial for Lewis, charged with premeditated homicide within the Aug. 13, 2017, demise of his spouse, 55-year-old Carla Lewis. He was additionally charged with possession with intent to fabricate stemming from a marijuana rising operation present in his residence.
Intercourse, cash and medicines can all be motives, however mixed they had been the motive for Lewis to "brutally execute" his spouse, mentioned Assistant Berrien County Prosecutor Jerry Vigansky, in his opening statements.
Lewis, 49, is accused of capturing and killing his spouse inside a small marijuana develop room of their residence after which calling 911, saying two males had damaged into the house and shot his spouse and stole her automotive to get away. A develop room that may "in the end change into an execution chamber," Vigansky mentioned.
In his opening, Vigansky detailed the proof that may be introduced in what is predicted to be a two-week trial.
The prosecutor spoke of alleged affairs Lewis was having with a number of girls. One the place he allegedly mentioned desirous to kill his spouse. Vigansky additionally introduced up how Lewis wasn't totally employed and labored odd jobs, whereas Carla Lewis was making $80,000 per yr, had a $246,000 life insurance coverage coverage and $70,000 in retirement cash with Lewis because the beneficiary.
Lewis was additionally reportedly looking on-line for weapons and silencers within the week main as much as his spouse's homicide, Vigansky mentioned.
In her opening arguments, protection lawyer Jolene Weiner-Vatter caught by Lewis' declare that two males broke into the home and killed Carla Lewis.
She was discovered useless together with her head resting on a planter within the marijuana develop room within the basement of the couple's residence within the 1400 block of Lawndale Avenue in Niles Township.
Up till his arrest, Lewis owned the Sevenleaves Compassion Membership at 1046 Bell Street in Niles, which is now closed.
He's an obvious most cancers survivor who believed in the advantages of medical marijuana and opened Sevenleaves with a purpose said on the membership's then-Fb web page of offering training about medical marijuana.
Though he had a sound license to develop as much as 12 marijuana vegetation for medical use, his develop room didn't have a lock. And since his spouse was discovered contained in the room, it confirmed others had entry, each of that are violations.
However Weiner-Vatter mentioned Lewis' compassion membership and rising operation made him a goal as a result of not everybody agreed with him. His truck, which was shiny inexperienced with marijuana leaves on it, was reportedly damaged into a few months earlier than his spouse's demise. The truck was additionally keyed whereas parked in Lewis' driveway, Weiner-Vatter mentioned.
Weiner-Vatter additionally informed the jury they might be introduced proof at the least one different particular person was in the home. A palm print collected from a door of the house couldn't be recognized. And proof collected from Carla Lewis' automotive when it was discovered days later contained DNA from somebody apart from Lewis.
The protection additionally questioned elements of the investigation, saying Lewis agreed to take a gunshot residue check, however police by no means adopted via with it.
Testimony started Tuesday with Hugh Truthful, a 911 dispatcher.
To assist Truthful's testimony, a recording of the 911 name was performed in court docket. Lewis will be heard yelling "We have been shot," "we have been robbed," and repeatedly yelling "Carla." As the decision performed the courtroom grew to become emotional as each Lewis and members of Carla Lewis' household started to tear up.
After a couple of minutes, Truthful heard a number of beeps and the decision was misplaced. Truthful testified he thought that meant that decision wasn't dropped, however that Lewis hung up. Lewis additionally by no means picked up the telephone when Truthful tried to name him again.
Protection lawyer Ryan Seale requested Truthful if he knew for a reality Lewis hung up the telephone, to which Truthful replied "I am unable to show that."
Berrien County Patrolwoman Jessica Frucci, who was the primary officer to reach on scene, testified that as officers cleared the house, repeatedly yelling "Berrien County Sheriff's Division" nobody was responding. It wasn't till they cleared the primary flooring of the house that they discovered Lewis within the develop room at the back of the basement, she mentioned.
Vigansky then requested Frucci about her means to enter the develop room. She testified the develop room's door was really a bookshelf on hinges and couldn't be opened all the way in which as a result of it was blocked by a washer. Frucci mentioned she needed to stroll sideways and duck down a bit of to get within the room. Vigansky was drawing into query Lewis' description of the reported shooter as two massive males.
As Frucci's testimony Tuesday was closing in on 5 p.m., Choose Hosbein concluded court docket for the day and the protection didn't get to query Frucci. The trial will decide again up at present with the remainder of Frucci's testimony for the state and the protection's cross.
The state additionally plans on displaying the jury a life-size recreation of Lewis' develop room, which would require the jury to maneuver from the courtroom to the reproduction. Vigansky wouldn't remark Tuesday on his technique for displaying the jury this mannequin.
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