Mellisa Ready, the mother of Jonathan Lewis, a Las Vegas teen beaten to death by a gang of bullies, is outraged after a plea deal allowed her son’s alleged killers to avoid adult prison. The Clark County District Attorney accepted a deal on Thursday, reducing the charges from second-degree murder to manslaughter and allowing the four teens to plead guilty as juveniles.

Ready expressed her frustration to 8 News Now, stating, “There is no justice for my son Jonathan Lewis… They are letting them get away with murdering my child.” She was shocked by the announcement, as she had been told the teens would plead guilty to murder and face a maximum of two years in the adult system.

Lewis, a 17-year-old Rancho High School student, died from blunt force trauma after being brutally beaten by a mob of his peers in November. The incident, captured on multiple cell phone videos, went viral, sparking outrage and calls for justice.

While the four teens initially claimed self-defense, Ready vehemently disagrees, stating, “You cannot jump in a human being’s head, stomp on him, and think that they’re going to remain alive after.”

Five other teens were also charged in the case, with four pleading guilty to manslaughter in the juvenile court system. One teen’s sentencing is pending.

Ready’s anguish highlights the complexities and controversies surrounding juvenile justice and the impact of violent crimes on families and communities.

Source: Slate Report