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Karina Vetrano
By Michael V. Cusenza
An online crowd-sourced petition supporting the reopening of the Karina Vetrano homicide case recently crested the 40,000 signature mark.
The campaign, started by “Mo Glover” on OrganizeFor.org, calls on Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz to give the high-profile slaying and conviction a second look.
“We demand that Melinda Katz immediately refer Chanel Lewis’ case to the Conviction Integrity Unit for investigation to reopen his case and release him on bail,” Glover wrote. “Under the guidelines of the CIU, investigations may be opened where there is ‘a credible claim of actual innocence or other wrongful conviction.’ In the case of Chanel Lewis’ murder conviction in the death of Katrina Vetrano [sic], multiple factors meet those criteria, including:
A history of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of prosecutor Brad Leventhal.
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Supporters of Chanel Lewis are calling on DA Melinda Katz to refer the case to the Conviction Integrity Unit.
Concerns over the use of racial profiling in Lewis’ initial arrest.
Mid-trial disclosure of significant scientific evidence, constituting a 240.20 violation.
Credible claims by the defense that the confessions the prosecution relied upon in court were coerced by police.
In April 2019, Chanel Lewis, 24, of East New York, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the August 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano, 30, who was pulled from a Spring Creek Park running path, sexually abused, and strangled to death near her Howard Beach home.
For more information on the petition, visit https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/chanel-lewis-a-fair-trial-and-investigation.
