HERKIMER -- A strange thing happened in Herkimer County court this week. A 23-year-old man charged with manslaughter was called as a juror in his own trial.
Matthew Lewis received a summons for jury duty on the same day his trial was supposed to start. Reached by phone, Theresa Tangorra, Herkimer County Commissioner of Jurors, tells CNY Central "I've been the Commissioner of Jurors for over 16 years and I've never seen something like this happen."Read more about it in the Utica Observer-Dispatch.
A twist of irony perhaps. But the trial would never happen. Lewis pleaded guilty Monday to vehicular manslaughter and DWI, admitting he was driving drunk and speeding when he lost control of his SUV, crashing and killing his two friends last fall. 22-year-old Matthew Girouard and 24-year-old Craig Sears were killed in the October 11 crash on Route 28 near Old Forge. Police say Lewis had a blood alcohol level of .16, twice the legal limit and was speeding around 90 mph at the time.
Lewis faces one to three years in prison when he's sentenced on December 8.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
