Jury Finds Defendant Guilty of Manslaughter in Homicide Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - June 9, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On June 9, a jury hearing a 2020 homicide trial rendered its verdict. 

Lewkus Turner, 29, was charged with second-degree murder, and two counts of possession of a firearm for allegedly shooting his cousin, 26-year-old Vincent Gyamfi. The incident occurred on Dec. 11, 2020 on the 2900 block of S Street, SE.

The 12-person panel found Turner guilty of voluntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a crime.  However, the jury failed to convict on the murder charge. 

According to trial testimony, Turner made an on-line post warning about a family member with COVID which upset Gyamfi.  What followed, say prosecutors, were “three separate arguments”  while the two were stopped at an intersection. After the shooting, Turner allegedly dragged Gyamfi’s body away from his car.  

Turner’s lawyers claimed the attack was in self-defense in that Gyamfi “just kept coming” at Turner.

Earlier in the trial DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sanctioned  the prosecution for “gross negligence” in not turning over CCTV surveillance video of the incident to defense lawyers for nearly three years.  The defense said that material supported its theory that Turner’s actions were justified. 

The sentencing has been set for Aug. 25