Criminal defense lawyer allegedly punched in face after client gets maximum sentence for murder
A criminal defense lawyer has said he does not have direct knowledge of allegedly getting punched in the face by a client. (Image from Shutterstock)
A criminal defense lawyer has said he does not have direct knowledge of allegedly getting punched in the face by a client.
“At that point apparently, I was out. My client hit me in the face. People in the courtroom said I fell back in the chair, hit a counter and apparently fell to the ground,” Houston lawyer John Petruzzi told Fox 26 Houston.
His client, 27-year-old Jaquarius Lewis, previously waived a jury trial, and in January, he pleaded guilty to a 2024 murder, according to court records and coverage by ABC 7 Chicago. According to court documents, Lewis pleaded guilty to the murder Jan. 21, but he didn’t receive his sentence until April 28.
The sentence range was five to 50 years, and the judge in April sided with the government for a 50-year sentence. Then came the alleged punch.
“I was kind of shocked,” Petruzzi told Fox 26 Houston.
According to the State Bar of Texas, Petruzzi has been licensed to practice in Texas since 1980.
“I’ve done this a long time, and I’ve never had a client hit me before,” added Petruzzi, who did not immediately respond to an ABA Journal interview request.
According to Harris County, Texas, court records, Petruzzi was Lewis’ court-appointed lawyer, and Lewis filed a motion in January for new counsel.
And Lewis has caught a new case. Shortly after his sentencing hearing, he was charged with intentionally causing bodily injury to Petruzzi. The filing notes that Petruzzi is at least 65 years old.
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