http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/297459
Stepfather found guilty after plea agreement in Aveion Lewis case
Brandon Lockett avoided a trial and possible first-degree murder conviction in the child's death. Morgan Lockett faces trial in October.
With a late-afternoon plea agreement, Brandon Lockett on Tuesday avoided both his upcoming trial and the possibility of a first-degree murder conviction in the death of his 2-year-old stepson, Aveion Lewis.
The hearing included more than an hour's worth of wrenching evidence from Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Sandra Workman about the abuse suffered by Aveion.
Lockett, 25, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, child abuse and neglect in Roanoke Circuit Court, and was later found guilty of those charges by Judge Clifford Weckstein. Lockett faces up to 50 years in prison at sentencing in November.
About 40 people — including friends, family and investigators tied to the case - crowded into a seven-bench Roanoke courtroom for the hearing.
(More of story at link)
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http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/aug/...nter-plea-aveion-lewis-death-case-ar-1274355/
Brandon Lockett enters no contest plea in Aveion Lewis death case
Lockett could get up to 50 years in prison at his sentencing hearing, scheduled for late November.
Since the investigation spanned over the period of several weeks in January 2010, and prosecutors had planned to call dozens of witnesses, it took almost one hour for the lead prosecutor to lay out her case against Brandon Lockett.
(More at Link)
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http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-bra...in-aveion-lewis-case-20110830,0,6405805.story
In a move decided on only hours before Tuesday, Brandon R’eal Lockett changed his plea in the murder and child neglect case of his stepson Aveion Lewis.
In the agreement accepted by Judge Clifford Weckstein, the charge of first degree murder was amended to second degree murder; Lockett pled no contest to that charge. He also pled no contest to felony child neglect. An additional charge was dropped.
Judge Weckstein asked him numerous times if he understood the consequences of changing his plea to no contest; namely that he gives up the right to trial, to defend himself, and the right to appeal.
Weckstein said pleading no contest was in “all practical terms the same as pleading guilty.” He added, “Your plea alone supplies everything needed to convict you.”
(More at Link)
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