In 2013, a federal judge overturned Scott Lewis’s murder conviction on the basis of police misconduct. Four years later, the City of New Haven paid Lewis $9.5 million in a wrongful-conviction settlement. But in a federal courtroom on Tuesday, an attorney representing the City of New Haven ques tioned Lewis as if he were indeed a killer. “Did you threaten [Stefon Morant] not to say anything about your involvement with the Turner-Fields homicide?” asked Thomas Gerarde, an attorney representing the city.  “I knew nothing about the Turner-Fields homicide,” responded Lewis. Lewis was questioned by Gerarde, not as a defendant, but as a witness in an ongoing civil-rights trial for his alleged co-conspirator Stefon Morant. Both Lewis and Morant were convicted of the 1990 double homicide of former alderman Ricardo Turner and his partner, Lamont Fields. Both spent two decades in prison. Both have long claimed they were framed by former city police Det. Vincent Raucci because of a drug debt. Lewis’s conviction was overturned in 2013, and he received a $9.5 million payment from the city in 2017. Morant spent 21 years behind bars before receiving a sentence reduction and pardon. He eventually won a $5.84 million wrongful-conviction award from the state. U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala is presiding over Stefon Morant v. City of New Haven in her Hartford courtroom. Lewis was called as a witness in Morant’s wrongful-conviction case on Monday. He returned to the stand on Tuesday to face questions from Gerarde. Read more about the case… A 1998 New Haven Advocate expose The FBI’s report on Vincent Raucci The Independent’s coverage of Lewis’ habeas victory, his exit from prison, his lawsuit against the city, Morant’s sentence reduction, and their adjustments to freedom The National Exoneration Registry’s synthesis of Lewis and Morant‘s stories An update on Raucci’s life since he left the police force (he was not convicted for the charges described in this story) An overview of the 2026 trial The Independent asked Mayor Justin Elicker last week if the city was walking back its decision to settle with Lewis by going to trial with Morant. Elicker said the two cases should not be compared. “From the outside, looking at any court case, there’s a lot of information that people – including the press – don’t have,” he told the Independent. Elicker did not respond to a follow-up request for comment by the publication time of this story. Meanwhile, former Mayor Toni Harp in 2017 acknowledged that the justice system had failed Lewis. “We felt we had to do it [settle],” she told the Independent. “When officers do something like that, and it impacts someone’s life, the judicial system is going to exact a price. It’s unfortunate. And we’re paying for it.” The argument now advanced by the city during Morant’s trial conflicts with Harp’s position. Since opening statements, Gerarde has argued that Lewis and Morant committed the murders. For instance, on Tuesday, Gerarde accused Lewis of lying to police in 1991 when giving a voluntary statement to avoid implicating himself in the crime. “Is the reason why you lied about” your involvement with dealing cocaine “when you were giving this statement because you didn’t want to put yourself as a major player…knowing that there was cocaine dealing associated with the Turner-Fields homicide?” asked Gerarde.  Lewis admitted that he “misplayed or misstated” his involvement with the cocaine trade. “But,” he added, “I certainly wasn’t going to tell [Raucci] anything about Frank Parise when I knew about [Raucci’s] relationship with him.” Later, Lewis made clear that he declined to sign the statement he submitted to police. “That’s because I knew it wasn’t the truth — at least the complete truth,” he said.  At another point, Gerarde questioned Lewis about Ovil Ruiz, the key witness in the state’s prosecution of Lewis and Morant and one of multiple witnesses who have recanted their testimonies. “If Ovil Ruiz is believed, you and Stefon Morant went to the Turner-Fields apartment with guns, right?” pressed Gerarde. “[Ruiz’s] criminal trial testimony was false. It’s the reason why I’m sitting here today as an exonerated person,” replied Lewis. Gerarde then targeted a letter written by Lewis to Ruiz in July 1991. The letter reads in part, “All you have to do is tell the lawyer the only reason you’re saying those things is because the prosecutor threatened to charge you with the crime and give you crazy time.” Later, it says, “I might come to court [in October]. But remember. Don’t incriminate yourself for nothing.” The letter is signed Mike Love and Mac Tonight, which are the street names for two people that Lewis believed Ruiz knew. “That was your attempt to warn [Ruiz] he better not testify, am I right?” asked Gerarde. “No, sir,” responded Lewis. Later, he acknowledged that he should not have sent the letter but had been feeling desperate. “The letter was stupid, I can admit that to this day.” For his part, Gerarde told the Independent that his purpose in court was not to stake out the city’s position but to provide them with “the best defense,” which involves challenging the plaintiffs to meet their burden of proof. When asked if the city had reversed its position from the 2017 settlement, Gerarde clarified that his position throughout the case has been consistent. Since opening statements, he has argued that “this is not a case of wrongful conviction.” He said he could not comment on the city’s 2017 settlement with Lewis because he was not the lawyer who negotiated the agreement. When asked if there are reasons why a party might settle a lawsuit without agreeing with the plaintiff’s claims, he said yes. In the context of Elicker’s comment, the Independent also asked Gerarde if the city has undisclosed evidence linking Morant and Lewis to the crime. He said he was not sure what the mayor might have been referring to and could not comment. After testifying on Tuesday, Lewis shared his frustrations with the city’s continued efforts to frame him for the murders. He said he feels so much trauma from his time in New Haven that he refuses to even drive through the city. The position staked out by the city in court contrasts with the arguments forwarded by retired Det. Michael Sweeney and his lawyer, Michael Ryan. Since 1999, Sweeney has maintained that his former colleague, Raucci, coerced witnesses and fabricated evidence. Even so, he is one of the named defendants in Morant’s case. In court on Tuesday, Ryan asked Lewis if he was aware that Sweeney testified on his behalf at his habeas trial. Through tears, Lewis said yes. “I’m thankful,” he said. “I gave him a hug” earlier on Tuesday. “You wouldn’t have gone up and given Mr. Sweeney a hug if you thought he was a dirty cop, correct?” asked Ryan. Lewis responded, “Correct.” The post City Puts Lewis Back On Trial appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less