GALVESTON, Texas—A man acquitted Wednesday of hurling concrete rocks at gay patrons inside an island bar said he has no animosity toward his brother, who testified against him.
"He’s still my brother, and I love him to death," Lawrneil Henry Lewis said after a jury found him not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with hate-crime enhancements.
"He’s family to the end, and whatever I do, he’s still my big brother to me," Lewis said.
Lewis, 19, spent eight months in prison and missed graduating high school after his arrest in the March 1, 2009, assault of two men at Robert’s Lafitte bar.
Patrons Marc Bosaw needed 12 staples to close his head wound, and James Nickelson suffered less severe injuries, including a fractured jaw.
Lawrence Henry Lewis, 21, pleaded guilty and is serving a five-year prison sentence. Wearing state prison attire, Lawrence Lewis testified he hurled rocks first and that his brother then "threw his in there and ran."
Lawrneil Lewis testified he didn’t go to the bar at 2501 Ave. Q with his brother and Alejandro Sam Gray.
Gray pleaded guilty, and 212th District Judge Susan Criss sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Criss later ordered a new trial for Gray based on evidence of mental retardation not presented during his plea hearing.
A Galveston police officer arrested three men within blocks of the bar and returned them to the scene to see whether patrons could identify them.
The jury deliberated about 4½ hours before reaching a verdict. Members told prosecutor Jon Hall that although they didn’t believe Lawrneil Lewis’ account of not going to the bar, they had no evidence he struck anyone with a rock.
Prosecutors were unsuccessful, over defense attorney Sam Milledge’s objection, in convincing Criss to include the law of parties in the jury charge. The law can hold anyone party to an offense responsible.
Lawrneil Lewis smiled when Criss read the verdict. With his family surrounding him in the Justice Center hallway, he grabbed his father in a long embrace.
"It was the right decision," he said. "I felt good. I’ve learned from my experience. When I was in there (in jail), I learned I can’t hang out with the wrong crowd."
This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com’s partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.
