Even the mother of convicted Queens killer Chanel Lewis was moved by the statement from his victim’s mom in court Tuesday.
While insisting her son is innocent of jogger Karina Vetrano’s murder, “I give condolences to the family, because I am a mother, and it broke my heart when [Karina’s mom, Cathie Vetrano] talked today because I feel the mother’s pain. … The mother will never see her daughter,” said Lewis’ mom, Veta Lewis.
Veta made the comments outside Queens Supreme Court after 22-year-old Chanel was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Vetrano’s mom had delivered her statement in court ahead of the sentencing, calling her daughter’s killer “a pathetic, evil coward” who made her family suffer and die “1 million deaths.”
Still, Veta professed her son’s innocence.
“Judge [Michael] Aloise sentenced my son, but I want to say to the judge he sent an innocent man to prison,” Veta said.
“As a mother, I still believe, and I know, my son Chanel is innocent. Chanel did not kill this lady,” she said. “The judge tried to sentence him without compassion. … What he did today was not justice for Chanel.”
Veta claimed that “everything was framed” by Queens Assistant District Attorney Brad Leventhal.
Chanel Lewis, who previously confessed to the heinous killing and whose DNA was discovered at the crime scene, was found guilty earlier this month of murdering and sexually abusing Vetrano in Howard Beach’s Spring Creek Park on Aug. 2, 2016.
Lewis insisted in court Tuesday before he was sentenced that he is “innocent.”