A homicide defendant accepted a new plea deal before DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman on Aug. 14, after he told parties he couldn’t accept the original deal in June.
Emmanuel Lewis, 36, was originally charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business, and tampering with physical evidence. These charges stemmed from his involvement in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Kwame Keith on the 1500 block of Fairlawn Avenue, SE, on Oct. 30, 2023.
Lewis had pleaded guilty on May 15 to second-degree murder while armed in exchange for prosecutors dismissing the remaining charges. Parties had agreed that Lewis would serve 15 years in prison, subject to Judge Edelman’s approval.The agreement specified that Lewis’ actions were intentional and not in self-defense.
According to Judge Edelman, Lewis suggested in a pre-sentence report filed on June 22 that his actions were in self-defense. In the report, he alleged that Keith had a “machine gun” which Lewis believed that Keith would use in an altercation. Judge Edelman suggested the parties figure the discrepancies out.
During the hearing on Aug. 14, Lewis’ attorney, Russell Hairston, and prosecutors alerted Judge Edelman they had reached a new agreement, which required Lewis to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed, in exchange for the prosecution dismissing all other charges. Through the deal, parties agreed again to a sentence of 15 years.
The prosecutor read a letter written by Keith’s dad, which stated his loss was immeasurable, and deemed Keith a person “with dreams, memories and a future.”
“A sentence cannot bring Kwame back,” Keith’s dad wrote, adding he hopes “[Keith] is remembered for the way he lived and the way he loved others.”
The prosecution and Hairston requested Judge Edelman accept the new deal, with Hairston also requesting Lewis be required to get transitional housing and vocational training.
Furthermore, Hairston read a letter written by Lewis to the court, in which he stated he “made a bad decision by taking someone’s life.”
“I want to be held accountable for what I did,” the letter read.
Judge Edelman described this as a “brutal and violent crime,” stating that the loss was felt deeply by Keith’s loved ones.
He sentenced Lewis to 15 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. Judge Edelman also ordered Lewis undergo substance abuse and mental health assessments, and pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime Funds.
No further dates were set.
