A Jefferson Parish jury on Wednesday evening (Oct. 11) found Albert Lewis guilty of violently forcing his way into a Marrero home, leading a resident to shoot him in the head to defend herself and her family.
Albert Lewis, 43, of Marrero, is guilty as charged of home invasion in connection with the New Year’s Eve 2022 incident in the 1100 block of Martin Drive, jurors determined during less than 30 minutes of deliberations.
At about 1:15 p.m., on Dec. 31, Lewis was at a residence on Martin Drive when he exited behaving erratically. At a nearby residence, meanwhile, a 28-year-old woman stepped outside her front door with her 1-year-old son to take photographs before they traveled to Slidell to attend a party.
After several minutes of erratic behavior, Lewis walked up the street and stopped in front of the woman’s home. From the sidewalk, he spoke to the woman, who ignored him. Neither she nor her family knew Lewis.
Lewis then walked toward the victim and banged on the hood of a vehicle in her driveway. She turned to pick up her son. He grabbed her from behind. She broke away, picked up her son and went inside. He followed her to her front door.
One of her nephews inside heard the commotion. He opened the door to let her in, then closed and locked it. Once inside, the woman handed her toddler to her other nephew and retrieved her .380 semiautomatic pistol. She told Lewis to leave several times. So, too, did her nephews, one of whom armed himself with a kitchen knife.
Lewis continued to force his way inside and broke and forced the door open. Lewis stepped over the threshold. Two residents saw Lewis step inside.
The woman, fearing for her life, then shot Lewis. He stumbled backwards and collapsed just outside the doorway. She then called 911 and waited for the officers to arrive.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, responding to a report of an aggravated battery by shooting, arrived to find Lewis unresponsive and lying face down. Deputies also observed the damaged security and front door.
In addition to the victim, her toddler and her two nephews, her disabled grandmother was in the home when Lewis forced his way inside.
The Sheriff’s Office determined that the woman’s action was reasonable and justified. Lewis was arrested after he was released from a hospital.
Lewis’ public defenders argued that his behavior, while inexcusable, did not meet the legal criteria needed to convict him of home invasion, namely that he had the intention to enter. They said Lewis was behaving like “a mad man” because he was probably under the influence of narcotics or alcohol, which left him unable to formulate the required intent to commit home invasion.
Judge Lee Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court is scheduled to sentence Lewis on Oct. 25.
Assistant District Attorneys Ashton Robinson and Blaine Moncrief prosecuted the case.