Washington, DC – A former government employee from Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for the shooting death of 13-year-old Karon Blake. The incident occurred on January 7, 2023, when Jason Lewis, who worked for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, confronted Blake under the belief that he was involved in a car break-in.
Despite Lewis claiming self-defense, he was found guilty of various charges, including voluntary manslaughter, after a jury trial. The court sentenced Lewis to a 90-month (7.5-year) term for voluntary manslaughter and five consecutive 60-month (5-year) terms for other charges like assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. This totaled 150 months, or 12.5 years, with an additional five years of supervised release.
Court documents revealed that Lewis, who held a concealed carry permit, shot Blake after suspecting him of a car break-in. However, further investigation and security footage showed that Blake had not entered Lewis’s property and did not pose an immediate threat, casting doubt on Lewis’s self-defense claim.
The case sparked public outrage, with community leaders and residents questioning the circumstances surrounding Blake’s death and underscoring broader concerns about gun violence in the area. Lewis was arrested on January 31, 2023, and placed on administrative leave from his job following the shooting.
In addition to the sentence, the court recommended that special measures be taken by the Bureau of Prisons to ensure Lewis’s safety while incarcerated. Lewis is set to serve his sentence in federal custody, with supervised release scheduled for January 2035. This case sheds light on the complex dynamics of self-defense claims and the impact of gun violence on communities, highlighting the importance of thorough investigations in such cases.