JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Twenty-year-old James Lewis of Jackson received a life sentence this morning for a brutal murder that occurred June 11, 2011 on Winter Street. Lewis was originally accused of capital murder, but the jury only found him guilty of murder.
A statement from Judge Jeff Weill, read in open court, indicated Lewis had taken $314 from the victim.
Judge Weill said 10 gunshots had hit the victim, 18 year old Dennis McDougales.
"The law provides that people like you, who choose to reject humanity by butchering another human being, must be removed from society" said Judge Weill during sentencing. "Your actions were barbaric. The penalty for murder is to spend the rest of your natural life in the penitentiary, and I so sentence you."
"You took everything that Dennis McDougales had ever hoped to have" Judge Weill added. "You took his mother's only son and his sister's only brother. You cost all those kids at the party their good friend. You robbed the city of a man who loved his momma. You did all that for the $314 in that young man's pocket. Shame on you."
Judge Weill said a life sentence in this case means Lewis will remain in prison until he is 65.
There is another defendant in the case who is yet to be tried.
Copyright 2012 Mississippi News Now. All rights reserved.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
