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Brooklyn Man Found Guilty in Murder of Jogger Karina Vetrano Brooklyn Man Found Guilty in Murder of Jogger Karina Vetrano
(30 minutes later)
The young man had confessed to beating and strangling Karina Vetrano as she jogged in a Queens park nearly three years ago. Traces of his DNA were found on her neck and cellphone, and underneath her fingernails. A Brooklyn man was found guilty late Monday of murdering a woman while she jogged in a Queens park, ending a trial that had raised questions about coerced confessions, racial profiling and police practices.
The evidence “overwhelmingly proves” that the man, Chanel Lewis, 22, is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, a prosecutor told jurors on Monday. The man, Chanel Lewis, 22, had confessed to attacking the woman, Karina Vetrano, in Spring Creek Park in August 2016. Traces of his DNA were found on her neck and cellphone, and underneath her fingernails.
Mr. Lewis’s first trial, five months ago, had ended with a hung jury. Some jurors were swayed by defense arguments that Mr. Lewis’s confession was coerced and that the DNA evidence was contaminated. Mr. Lewis’s first trial, five months ago, had ended with a hung jury. Some jurors then were swayed by defense arguments that Mr. Lewis’s confession was coerced and that the DNA evidence was contaminated.
But on Monday, at his second trial, a different jury found Mr. Lewis guilty of murdering Ms. Vetrano, after a long legal saga that had raised questions about coerced confessions, racial profiling and police practices. The jurors also found him guilty of sexually assaulting her. But after only five hours of deliberation on Monday, at his second trial, a different jury found Mr. Lewis guilty of second-degree murder for the strangling of Ms. Vetrano. The jurors also found him guilty of first-degree sexual abuse.
The killing of Ms. Vetrano, 30, was one of the most high-profile cases in the city in recent years, jarring for its apparent randomness. The prosecution of Mr. Lewis, who lived in Brooklyn, had prompted debate over social media, and in the courtroom. Some observers said the confession and DNA evidence were proof enough of Mr. Lewis’s guilt, while others argued that prosecutors had the wrong person. As the foreman read out the guilty verdict, cheers and applause went up from Ms. Vetrano’s family members in State Supreme Court in Queens. Mr. Lewis did not react.
“Jubilation,” said Philip Vetrano, the father of Ms. Vetrano, as he left the courtroom. “Justice has been served.”
The Lewis family will appeal the jury’s decision, Chris Banks, a spokesman, said. “We knew he would be railroaded,” he said. “The evidence was extremely weak and the confession was coerced.”
The killing of Ms. Vetrano, 30, was one of the most high-profile cases in the city in recent years, jarring for its apparent randomness and brutality. It set in motion a massive investigation. The prosecution of Mr. Lewis had prompted debate over social media, and in the courtroom, as some observers said the confession and DNA evidence were proof enough of Mr. Lewis’s guilt, while others argued that prosecutors had the wrong person.