Man who pleaded guilty to murder punched his attorney after receiving 50-year sentence, records show

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man who pleaded guilty to murder allegedly punched his attorney in the face after receiving a 50-year sentence, court documents reveal.

Jaquarius Lewis, 27, is accused of causing bodily injury to an individual who is at least 65 years of age, according to records obtained by Eyewitness News. The alleged incident happened on Tuesday afternoon, the same day he was sentenced to confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Institutional Division.

The bail motion reads that Lewis punched his attorney, John Petruzzi, in the face after the sentence was read.

Records indicate Lewis waived a jury trial and pleaded guilty to the April 2024 murder of Quincy Jermaine Johnson. Lewis was accused of being one of two suspects who shot Johnson while he was standing on a balcony in northeast Houston.

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According to court documents, Lewis pleaded guilty to the murder on Jan. 21, but didn't receive his sentence until Tuesday.

On a record dated Dec. 26, 2025, Lewis asked the court to dismiss Petruzzi, his court-appointed attorney, from the case and to appoint different counsel. Eyewitness News did not find a response to Lewis' request to change counsel from the judge.

It was not immediately known whether Lewis would face additional time related to the charge of injury to an individual who is at least 65 years of age.