Iowa teen who killed alleged rapist escapes custody [View all]

An Iowa sex-trafficking victim who at age 15 killed her alleged rapist escaped custody on Friday, violating the probation she was ordered to serve at a correctional facility after pleading guilty to manslaughter, according to reports.

Pieper Lewis, who is now 18, could face up to two decades behind bars after this alleged probation violation. Authorities have issued a warrant for her arrest, the Des Moines Register newspaper reported.

Lewis pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and willful injury for fatally stabbing Zachary Brooks in a fit of rage in June 2020. Lewis said that Brooks, 37, sexually assaulted her multiple times, according to the newspaper.

Prosecutors and police have not denied that Lewis was trafficked and sexually assaulted. The prosecution contended that Brooks was sleeping when he was stabbed and that he did not present a danger to Lewis at that moment.

Unlike dozens of other US states, Iowa does not have a law providing trafficking victims even a minimal level of criminal immunity. In September, Judge David M Porter sentenced Lewis to five years’ probation, to be served at a women’s correctional facility, the Register reported.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/06/iowa-pieper-lewis-escapes-custody

This is Cyntoia Brown all over again. She should not even be imprisoned. If she is on probation, she should be outside the walls.