Man punches attorney in the face the moment he learns he's going away for 50 years for murder: Authorities

When a antheral successful Texas recovered retired helium was going to walk the adjacent fractional period successful prison, helium allegedly punched his lawyer successful the face.

Jaquarius Lewis, 27, was charged with murdering 40-year-old Quincy Johnson successful April 2024, according to the Houston Police Department. He pleaded blameworthy successful January and appeared successful tribunal Tuesday, receiving a sentence of 50 years down bars, country Fox affiliate KRIV reported.

Then came the unit successful the courtroom.

"At that constituent apparently, present I was retired … my lawsuit deed maine successful the face, and radical successful the courtroom accidental that I fell back," Houston-area defence lawyer John Petruzzi told the section outlet. "I was standing, I fell backmost against the chair, and past I deed a antagonistic and deed the backmost of my head."

"I don't retrieve immoderate of that," Petruzzi added, saying helium regained consciousness to find himself surrounded by bailiffs and paramedics. Someone past reportedly asked him, "Do you recognize that your lawsuit conscionable punched you successful the face?"

The lawyer said helium was "shocked" arsenic he's been a defence lawyer for "a agelong time" and had ne'er earlier been deed by a client. He was not earnestly injured successful the alleged attack.

Lewis, the since-sentenced defendant, present reportedly faces a caller charge: wounded to an idiosyncratic who is astatine slightest 65 years of age.

On April 18, 2024, astatine astir 7 p.m., Johnson was lasting extracurricular connected his balcony connected Sunbury Street successful Houston, Texas, "when 2 antheral suspects walked by and changeable him," constabulary said. Officers responded to the country "and recovered the unfortunate unresponsive successful his apartment."

Law enforcement investigated and developed 2 suspects. Police said they identified Lewis arsenic the shooter and arrested him connected May 3, 2024. The different antheral "was questioned and released without charges."

According to Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Lewis had asked the tribunal for a caller lawyer and to disregard his court-appointed lawyer — Petruzzi — connected Dec. 26, 2025.

It's unclear whether Lewis could look much clip successful situation owed to the caller charge.