Chanel Lewis has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano, who was beaten, sexually abused and strangled to death while out for a jog near her home in Howard Beach, Queens.

Interested in New York? Add New York as an interest to stay up to date on the latest New York news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest

Tuesday's sentence was handed down by Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise, who a day earlier rejected a defense motion to vacate Lewis’ conviction based on allegations of juror misconduct. Lewis, 22, was convicted after five hours of deliberations following his second trial after the first ended in a mistrial.

"I'm sorry to the family. I didn't do this," Lewis said before he was sentenced.

Seth Wenig/AP, FILE

Cathie Vetrano, Karina Vetrano's mother, clutched her daughter's pair of white work shoes as she addressed the judge.

"On Aug. 2, 2016, Chanel Lewis slaughtered me as well with the gruesome slaying of my soul," she said. "The second you put your hands on a child of God, you rejected the Holy Spirit and acted out as the devil."

Karina's father Phil Vetrano and her two siblings also gave victim impact statements where they referred to Lewis as a "monster."

Phil Vetrano testified in court that he became concerned when his 30-year-old daughter did not return home from her run and called a neighbor in law enforcement for help.

"The anguish of finding your baby bruised, dead and unable to help her," said Phil Vetrano. "That monster killed four people that day and three of us still walk the Earth as zombies."

A citywide manhunt continued for six months until one of the case detectives, John Russo, who also lives near the crime scene, remembered calling the police on a man — later identified as Lewis — lurking in the neighborhood months before Karina Vetrano was killed.

During a pre-trial hearing Russo testified that he "focused on the defendant because when he ran his name in the computer" there was a report where Lewis was accused of "expressing desire to hurt women," said Assistant District Attorney Brad Leventhal before the sentencing.

Lewis was arrested in February 2017 after he consented to a DNA swab. His DNA matched what was found on Karina Vetrano's cellphone, the back of her neck and under her fingernails.

The Legal Aid Society, Lewis' defense team, made at least two attempts to get a new trial. His lawyers said they had received an anonymous letter from an alleged law enforcement officer claiming prosecutorial misconduct. One juror also said alleged misconduct had taken place during deliberations. Both motions by the defense were rejected by the judge.

"This is a lose-lose situation for both families ... parents' worst nightmare, child goes out for a jog and never returns," Judge Aloise said before rendering the sentencing. "In the future, you'll find that the followers of this case would have moved on and you will be alone, but I tell you what, when that day come around you'll be in a cage."

The Legal Aid Society said in a statement: “While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano’s death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case – from the police investigation to jury deliberations – was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs.This was done without any concern for Mr. Lewis’s Constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. We will appeal this case to the Appellate Division to secure Mr. Lewis the justice that he deserves.”</s>The NYC man convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Karina Vetrano was sentenced to life without parole on Tuesday.

Chanel Lewis, 22, was sentenced in a Queens Supreme Court nearly three years after Vetrano’s death, according to the New York Post.

Prior to his sentencing, Lewis repotedly told the court, “The only thing I want to say is, I’m innocent. I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but I didn’t do this.”

Lewis reportedly confessed to sexually assaulting and murdering the Queens woman in 2016, allegedly saying that he was angered by Vetrano’s attempt to fight off his attack. According to court documents, Lewis can be heard on a police recording admitting that he repeatedly punched the jogger and dragged her “by the hands” into the tall grass near a jogging path in Howard Beach.

Lewis was arrested nearly six months after the attack on Feb. 5, 2017.

His first trial ended with a hung jury in November. The case was mired in controversy over the methods police used to obtain their evidence, according to Metro New York.

Lewis' defense attorney from the Legal Aid Society claimed that the NYPD obtained their evidence from an illegal stop-and-frisk arrest. The Daily Beast reported that Lewis' confession to detectives seemed to have been coerced and coached, and that the prosecution used a DNA test that was notoriously unreliable and inconclusive.

During the retrial in March, Lewis was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse.

“So repulsive are you, that you left her [body] hidden to be further desecrated in the summer heat by bugs and animals … like a snake you slithered away into the night,” Karina's mother Cathie Verano said in court, according to The Post.

“My hope is that you live a long life within the prison of the law and the prison of your conscious.”</s>Chanel Lewis has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano, who was beaten and strangled to death while out for a jog near her home in Queens.

The sentence was handed down by a judge who a day earlier rejected a defense motion to vacate Lewis’ conviction based on allegations of juror misconduct. Lewis, 22, was convicted after five hours of deliberations following his second trial after the first ended in a mistrial.

"I'm sorry to the family. I didn't do this," Lewis said before he was sentenced.

Cathie Vetrano, Karina's mother, clutched her daughter's pair of white work shoes as she addressed the judge.

"On Aug. 2, 2016, Chanel Lewis slaughtered me as well with the gruesome slaying of my soul," she said. "The second you put your hands on a child of God, you rejected the Holy Spirit and acted out as the devil."

Lewis was arrested in February 2017, six months after Karina Vetrano's murder. After Lewis consented to a DNA swab, it matched the DNA found on Karina Vetrano's body.

The Legal Aid Society, Lewis' defense team, made at least two attempts to get a new trial. His lawyers said they had received an anonymous letter from an alleged law enforcement officer claiming prosecutorial misconduct. One juror also said alleged misconduct had taken place during deliberations. Both motions by the defense were rejected by Judge Michael Aloise.

"This is a lose-lose situation for both families ... parents' worst nightmare, child goes out for a jog and never returns," Judge Aloise said before rendering the sentencing. "In the future, you'll find that the followers of this case would have moved on and you will be alone, but I tell you what, when that day come around you'll be in a cage."

The Legal Aid Society said in a statement: “While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano’s death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case – from the police investigation to jury deliberations – was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs.This was done without any concern for Mr. Lewis’s Constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. We will appeal this case to the Appellate Division to secure Mr. Lewis the justice that he deserves.”</s>QUEENS — More than two and a half years after the murder of Queens jogger Karina Vetrano, and after two trials and the postponement of the killer’s initial sentencing, Chanel Lewis learned his fate Tuesday.

The 22-year-old convicted in the August 2016 murder and sexual assault will serve life in prison, without the chance of parole.

Lewis was initially set to be sentenced nearly one week earlier, but it was postponed amid allegations of jury misconduct.

Judge Michael Aloise decided Monday to move forward with sentencing, despite juror Christopher Gooley saying he had felt intimidated to reach a guilty verdict quickly.

Vetrano, 30, was killed as she ran on a park trail in Howard Beach, Queens. Prosecutors said Vetrano had been sexually abused. Her father discovered the body.

Cheers erupted in the courtroom three weeks ago as a jury convicted Lewis.

The case, however, has proven to be complicated as Lewis’ first trial ended in a hung jury in November 2018.

The defense argued his two taped confessions were coerced and that not enough of his DNA was found in the crime scene.

The prosecutors, however, said the confessions came willingly and his DNA was found on Vetrano’s phone, nails and neck.

The closely watched case caused fear among women who run alone and baffled investigators, who for months were unable to find anyone who matched DNA that was found under the victim’s fingernails as she fought back. Lewis was eventually tested and linked to DNA found at the scene and on the victim, according to police.

Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>The family of slain Queens jogger Karina Vetrano finally received justice Tuesday, three years after her death — as the man convicted of killing the young woman was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Chanel Lewis, 22, was handed the sentence by Justice Michael Aloise in a Queens Supreme Court courtroom packed with both family and friends of Vetrano — including her parents, Phil and Cathie Vetrano — and supporters of Lewis.

In delivering a gut-wrenching victim impact statement ahead of the sentencing, Cathie Vetrano called Lewis “remorseless” and deemed him “a pathetic, evil coward” who “carried out the work of Satan” when he laid his “loathsome hand upon a child of God — my daughter, my innocent daughter.”

“So repulsive are you, that you left her [body] hidden to be further desecrated in the summer heat by bugs and animals … like a snake, you slithered away into the night,” Cathie told Lewis, adding: “My hope is that you live a long life within the prison of the law and the prison of your conscience.”

The devastated mother called the sentencing day “Karina’s day — it’s her and hers alone.”

“This is a day where we acknowledge that Karina’s life matters,” said Cathie, who then raised up the pair of white shoes Vetrano wore to work on the day of her murder.

“As tiny as they are,” Cathie said of the shoes, “these are the shoes of a giant — a valiant warrior and a queen.”

The mother told the court how since Karina’s murder, she’s “lost all of myself” and that Lewis “slaughtered” her on the day of her daughter’s 2016 slaying as well.

Lewis, who confessed to the heinous slaying and whose DNA was discovered at the crime scene, was found guilty earlier this month of murdering and sexually abusing 30-year-old Vetrano while she was out jogging near her home in Howard Beach’s Spring Creek Park on Aug. 2, 2016.

Before his sentencing, Lewis spoke in court, declaring: “The only thing I want to say is, I’m innocent. I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but I didn’t do this.”

Supporters of Lewis erupted in chants of “Justice for Chanel” in the courtroom following the sentencing.

The East New York man viciously beat and strangled Vetrano during her regular run that afternoon.

Vetrano’s battered body was found face-down later that night among the tall weeds inside the desolate park by her father, a retired firefighter.

In Lewis’ chilling confession to police, he claimed he got angry at Vetrano when she tried to fight him off in the remote green space, admitting that he repeatedly punched her and dragged her “by the hands” into the tall grass near the jogging path.

There, “I finished her off,” Lewis can be heard telling cops in the disturbing recording.

“I was beating her and was mad at her,” Lewis confessed.

Lewis was arrested in the high-profile case on Feb. 5, 2017 — about six months after the horrific attack.

His first trial ended with a controversial hung jury back in November after only one day of deliberations.

Ultimately in the retrial verdict, Lewis was found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse.</s>A man convicted of murder in the 2016 death of a New York City runner was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday.

Chanel Lewis was convicted earlier this month of killing Karina Vetrano in a case that stirred urban fears, helped change the state's DNA-investigation rules and raised questions about race and police procedures.

"While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano's death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case - from the police investigation to jury deliberations - was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs," the Legal Aid Society, which represents Lewis, said in a statement. "This was done without any concern for Mr. Lewis's constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. We will appeal this case to the Appellate Division to secure Mr. Lewis the justice that he deserves."

On Monday, the judge denied a defense motion to set aside the guilty verdict after hearing arguments about alleged juror misconduct.

Phil Vetrano found his 30-year-old daughter's body, sexually abused and strangled, in a park where they often went for runs together.

The attack redoubled the wariness of women who run alone, and it baffled investigators for a time. Lewis was arrested six months later.

Authorities said his DNA was found on Vetrano's neck and cellphone and in a mixture of DNA under her fingernails. His own phone contained downloaded photos of the crime scene and searches for information about the case, police said.

And Lewis recorded a confession, saying he was upset at someone else — a neighbor of his who played loud music — and "lost it" when he saw Vetrano.

"One thing led to another," he said in the confession. "Hitting her and stuff like that."

Lewis said he strangled Vetrano but didn't sexually abuse her.

Lewis' defense said that the DNA evidence hadn't been gathered properly and that the confession was coerced and didn't match Vetrano's injuries or some other facts.

Before Lewis' arrest, the investigation prompted police prosecutors to seek state permission to use a technique known as familial DNA searching — looking for people similar enough to be closely related to whoever left DNA at the crime scene, in hopes they will lead to a suspect.

The state Commission on Forensic Science ultimately agreed in June 2017 to allow familial DNA searching in murder, rape and some other cases. The decision came over the objections of civil libertarians who said the practice entangles law-abiding people in investigations because of their family ties.

By the time the commission gave its approval, Lewis had already been arrested.</s>Chanel Lewis Sentenced To Life In Prison For Murder Of Queens Jogger

A New York judge sentenced the man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a Queens jogger to life in prison Tuesday, (April 23) despite there being accusations of a coerced confession and jury misconduct.

Cheers broke out inside a courtroom when 22-year-old Chanel Lewis learned his fate. He spoke briefly in court apologizing to the victim's family. “I’m innocent,” Lewis said. “I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but I didn’t do this.”

The victim, Karina Vetrano, 30, went jogging on a park trail in Howard Beach, Queens in August 2016 when prosecutors say she was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered. Her body was discovered in August 2016 by her father.

Lewis' sentencing was initially postponed amid accusations of jury misconduct. However, Judge Michael Aloise decided Monday to move forward with the sentencing. Lewis' first trial resulted in a hung jury and his defense team stated that a desire to swiftly put the case away led to Tuesday's sentencing.

“While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano’s death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case – from the police investigation to jury deliberations – was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs,” The Legal Aid Society, which represents Lewis, said in a statement.

Lewis' defense argued his two-taped confessions were coerced and there wasn't enough DNA evidence linking him to the crime. During the confession, Lewis reportedly said he was upset at his neighbor for playing loud music and when he saw Vetrano he "lost it."

He said he strangled the jogger but didn't sexually assault her. His defense team argued the DNA evidence wasn't gathered properly and didn't match the victim's injuries.</s>The man convicted of killing Queens jogger Karina Vetrano is due in court today for a hearing on claims of juror misconduct in the case.

Earlier this month, Chanel Lewis, 22, was found guilty of strangling and sexually abusing the 30-year-old while she was out for a jog in Spring Creek Park near her family’s Howard Beach home in 2016. His first trial ended in a hung jury.

After the verdict, the jury foreman told CBS2 it was a “slam dunk case.”

Brian Morrissey said the most damming evidence was “the confession – it wasn’t coerced” and “DNA – DNA was so overwhelming.” He also said the jury was unanimous on the murder charges, but there were at least two holdouts on the sex abuse charges.

Behind The Lens: CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez On Covering The Case

Lewis was set to be sentenced last week, but the judge decided to hold off so a hearing could be held on alleged juror misconduct. His family and supporters chanted “Justice for Chanel” while leaving the courthouse.

“My son, Chanel Lewis, is innocent,” said his mother, Veta Lewis. “All I want for my son, what I want for my son, is justice for Chanel.”

“One might be jurors go out and try to investigate the case themself, try to go to the scene or even speak to people who know about the case. Or even just learning information through looking at the media, which the judge instructs them not to do,” she said.

Prosecutors called the motion a further delay in justice for the Vetrano family and said they have affidavits from three jurors denying any misconduct. They ultimately agreed that a public hearing should be held.

If the judge denies the defense’s motion today, Lewis will be sentenced Tuesday. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.</s>A New York man convicted of brutally murdering a jogger in 2016 was sentenced to life in prison without parole Tuesday as he maintained his innocence.

Chanel Lewis, 22, was convicted earlier this month in the August 2016 killing of Karina Vetrano, 30, who was out running when she was sexually abused and strangled.

Father Phil Vetrano later found her body in a park nearby her home in Queens where they often ran together.

Lewis was arrested six months later. Police say they found his DNA on the women's neck and phone and a mix of DNA under her fingernails. Police also said Lewis confessed and had photos of the crime scene and search information on his phone.

However, Lewis' defense attorneys maintain that the man never got a chance for a fair trial.

"While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano’s death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case – from the police investigation to jury deliberations – was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs," the Legal Aid Society, which represents Lewis, said in a statement.

"This was done without any concern for Mr. Lewis’s constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. We will appeal this case to the Appellate Division to secure Mr. Lewis the justice that he deserves," the Legal Aid Society added.

A first trial in the case ended in a hung jury in November.

Before his sentencing Tuesday, Lewis said, "The only thing I want to say is, I’m innocent. I’m sorry for the family’s loss, but I didn’t do this," according to the New York Post.

Lewis had previously admitted to strangling Vetrano but said he did not sexually assault her. In his confession, Lewis said that he was upset with someone else when he saw the woman.

Lewis' defense team maintained that his confession had been coerced and that DNA evidence was gathered improperly in the case. The defense team also said that juror misconduct occurred and motioned to set aside the guilty verdict, but a judge denied the request.

"This young woman’s life was tragically cut short," Queens County Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan said in a statement. "The defendant in this case has shown not an ounce of remorse for this heinous killing."

Speaking to the courtroom, Vetrano’s mother Cathie called Lewis "a pathetic, evil coward," according to the Post.

"My hope is that you live a long life within the prison of the law and the prison of your conscience," she said.</s>A Queens judge Tuesday morning sentenced a Brooklyn man convicted of murdering Howard Beach jogger Karina Vetrano in August 2016 to life in prison without parole, in a case that grabbed national attention and triggered a massive homicide investigation.

Chanel Lewis' sentencing came just a few hours after Queens State Supreme Court Judge Michasel Aloise rejected a last-ditch attempt by the Brooklyn man's attorneys to get the guilty verdict tossed.

Aloise gave Lewis, 22, the maximum sentence for first-degree murder after an emotional morning in which Vetrano’s parents and siblings read heartfelt victim impact statements to the court.

"That monster killed four people the night of August 2, 2016," Phil Vetrano, the victim's father, read from a prepared statement. "One of us is in heaven but the other three walk the earth as zombies, just waiting to die and to be with Karina again.”

Lewis addressed the court and maintained his innocence.

“I am innocent," he said. "I am sorry for the family’s loss but I didn’t do it.”

In a statement, The Legal Aid Society said it will appeal on Lewis' behalf.

"While there is no denying that Karina Vetrano’s death is tragic and that her family and friends suffered a great loss, every aspect of this case — from the police investigation to jury deliberations — was propelled by a desire to convict at all costs," the statement read. "This was done without any concern for Mr. Lewis’s Constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial."

A jury on April 1 convicted Lewis, 22, of first- and second-degree murder, as well as sexual abuse at his retrial for the August 2016 killing of Vetrano, 30, as she jogged alone in a park near her home. His first trial in November ended in a mistrial after jurors couldn’t agree on a verdict.

Defense allegations of juror irregularities before the verdict failed to convince Aloise during a two-hour hearing Monday. Lewis faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

Under New York appellate precedents, Lewis' defense attorneys had an uphill battle in trying to get the verdict set aside on juror misconduct grounds. Their main ammunitions were an affidavit and court testimony Monday from Juror No. 4, identified in court as Christopher Gooley, 31, a theatrical producer and actor.

Gooley had earlier given the defense an affidavit with a number of allegations against other jurors.

The panel came down with its verdict against Lewis after five hours of deliberations.

Lewis was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree felony murder and first degree sexual abuse.

Prosecutors with the Queens District Attorney's Office presented evidence over a two-week period to the jury. The key elements to the prosecution case were two confessions Lewis gave to investigators as well as DNA from Vetrano’s neck and cellphone, which was deemed by a forensic expert to be a match to Lewis.

Other evidence included graphic crime scene and autopsy photos that caused onlookers in the courtroom to gasp and some jurors to appear visibly upset. Vetrano's parents cast their eyes down when the photos were displayed in the trial.

DNA found under Vetrano’s fingernail was determined by experts at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to have a high statistical probability of being from both her and Lewis, rather than some unknown person.

The defense maintained that Lewis’ confessions had been coerced and that the DNA evidence was ambiguous or unreliable. The defense said Lewis was the victim of a rush to judgment by police and sloppy investigative work.
In the United States, Chanel Lewis is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano while she was running in Queens, New York City. The judge had earlier declined the defense's motion of a re-trial due to what they alleged to be police and juror misconduct.