The teen convicted for his role in the brutal 2010 murder of Shayla Johnson gets a nod of approval in court. Charles Lewis Jr was 15 when he was originally charged.
Lewis Jr sat in front of an Ingham County Judge Tuesday as he listened to social workers and juvenile specialists talk about the progress he's made over the last six months. Since he was given a blended sentence in April instead of life in prison, he's been at the Maxey Boy's Training School, where officials are hoping he'll completely rehabilitate.
In court, a social worker from the boys' school took the stand, saying Lewis Jr got off to a rough start with his behavior and even lied about his role in Johnson's murder to protect his father. Maxey officials say Charles has been making progress. He's apparently doing well in his classes and has shown signs of improvement in his behavior.
Charles Lewis Jr's next court review will be in April of next year.
The Michigan appeals court has heard arguments in a case that could determine whether prisoners locked up for murder when they were teens will be given a shot at parole Tuesday.
The issue is whether a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision should apply retroactively to more than 350 people serving mandatory life sentences with no chance of parole. The Supreme Court says that such punishments for minors are unconstitutional.
Attorney General Bill Schuette says the ruling shouldn't benefit people already in prison. The state appeals court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of a St. Clair County man, Raymond Carp, who was convicted of murder committed when he was 15.
The judges are William Whitbeck, Michael Talbot and E. Thomas Fitzgerald.
