Terrence Lewis: Killer of father of three freed after law enforcement mixes up prisons in baffling blunder

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK: Terrence Lewis, convicted in the murder of a father of three in Rochester, NY, has been released from Five Points Correctional Facility due to a grievous error by law enforcement.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the vacated conviction, citing an accidental violation of the anti-shuttling provision of the Interstate Agreement on Detainers Law.

The federal law, established in 1970, mandates that once a prisoner is moved to the state of the pending indictment, the case must be completely resolved before their return. However, in Lewis's case, this crucial legal provision was overlooked.

Sheriff Todd K Baxter expressed his dismay, stating that the decision to release a murderer based on a technicality 'violates the principles of justice' and highlights a 'lack of fairness' within the system.

Rochester street shooting victim Johnny Washington

Monroe County Supreme Court Judge Stephen T Miller ruled on Feb 5 that the law enforcement mistake occurred when Lewis, already serving a sentence in a federal prison in Pennsylvania for unrelated crimes, was indicted for Johnny Washington’s murder more than two years after the incident, as per People.

The tragedy dates back to May 26, 2015, when the victim was fatally shot on a Rochester street. Photographs on Gunmemorial.org depict a young man with three children, and his family is left grappling with the injustice of Lewis's unexpected release.

Critical error leads to convicted murderer's release

The timeline reveals a series of missteps, with Lewis being transported from USP Allenwood in Pennsylvania to New York’s Monroe County Jail in January 2018 for arraignment. Subsequently, he returned to Pennsylvania in May while the murder charge was still pending in New York, violating federal law.

Lewis's journey continued with his return to New York for the murder trial in July 2018, leading to his conviction in October 2018. However, he returned to Pennsylvania that December to complete his federal sentence, officially beginning his New York State Department of Corrections sentence in October 2020.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, realizing the potential release due to the interstate prison mix-up earlier this year, conducted an audit and determined no similar incidents since 2018. Corrective measures, including a review of transfer procedures and staff training, have been implemented.

Apologetic Sheriff acknowledges family's pain

Despite efforts to rectify the situation, the sheriff’s office has faced criticism for the oversight. The press release stated their attempt to contact Washington's family, yet no reaction from the family has been disclosed.

Sheriff Baxter conveyed a sincere apology to Washington's address, “There are no words to take away the pain you are justly feeling that undoubtedly comes with the lack of fairness being served based on this decision, which violates the principles of justice. I extend my sincere apology.” In the end, Lewis served more than three years for Johnny's murder.