Prosecutor To Dismiss All Charges Against Derris Lewis

Posted on 8/6/2009

Defendant: Derris Lewis

On August 6, 2009 the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office requested Judge Guy Reece to dismiss all charges against Derris Lewis in connection with the home invasion homicide of his brother Dennis Lewis that occurred on January 18, 2008 at 1161 Loretta Ave. in Columbus.

Today the Columbus Police Crime Lab conducted further testing at the request of the Prosecutor’s office on a slab of drywall cut out from the east wall of the north bedroom that was the scene of the murder. That wall was the location of a palm print that previously was identified by the Columbus Division of Police as in blood. The test today was on the palm print impression itself for the presence of human blood. That test was negative for the presence of human blood. The palm print was in fact the palm print of Derris Lewis that must have been placed on the wall at some unknown time prior to the homicide. The palm print impression must have contained an animal protein substance that was developed by the Crime Scene Search Unit with a chemical treatment by Amido Black, a protein dye stain. That process develops latent prints made in blood, both prints visible and not visible with the naked eye. However, a print may also develop when other animal proteins are present on the hand, palm or finger when the print is left. Until today all references in police search warrants, reports and testimony referred to the palm print as a bloody palm print or a palm print in blood. The test this morning established that the palm print was not in human blood. For that reason all charges will be dismissed and Derris Lewis released from the County Jail.