Background: The Harris County Criminal Justice Center on Franklin Street in Houston, Texas (Google Maps). Inset top: John Petruzzi (John Petruzzi/Facebook). Inset bottom: Jaquarius Lewis (Houston Police Department).
A Texas courtroom erupted in chaos when a man, upon learning he would serve the next 50 years in prison, reportedly assaulted his attorney.
Jaquarius Lewis, aged 27, faced charges for the murder of Quincy Johnson, 40, which occurred in April 2024, as detailed by the Houston Police Department. Lewis, who had entered a guilty plea earlier in January, stood before the court this past Tuesday, where he received his lengthy sentence, according to reports from local Fox affiliate KRIV.
The courtroom scene took a violent turn shortly thereafter.
“At that moment, I was caught off guard… my client struck me in the face, and witnesses in the courtroom observed me falling backward,” recounted John Petruzzi, a seasoned defense attorney from the Houston area, in an interview with the local media. “I was standing, then I fell back against the chair, hit a counter, and struck the back of my head.”
Petruzzi noted, “I don’t recall any of that,” explaining that he regained consciousness to find himself surrounded by bailiffs and paramedics. He was then informed, “Do you realize that your client just punched you in the face?”
The attorney expressed his astonishment, stating that throughout his extensive career as a defense lawyer, he had never been attacked by a client. Fortunately, Petruzzi did not sustain serious injuries from the incident.
Lewis, the since-sentenced defendant, now reportedly faces a new charge: injury to an individual who is at least 65 years of age.
On April 18, 2024, at about 7 p.m., Johnson was standing outside on his balcony on Sunbury Street in Houston, Texas, “when two male suspects walked by and shot him,” police said. Officers responded to the scene “and found the victim unresponsive in his apartment.”
Law enforcement investigated and developed two suspects. Police said they identified Lewis as the shooter and arrested him on May 3, 2024. The other man “was questioned and released without charges.”
According to Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Lewis had asked the court for a new attorney and to dismiss his court-appointed attorney — Petruzzi — on Dec. 26, 2025.
It’s unclear whether Lewis could face more time in prison due to the new charge.
