In a Polk County courtroom, Pieper Lewis, 17, is facing sentencing after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the killing of her alleged rapist back in June 2020.  

As reported by Blaze Media, Lewis was just 15 years old when she was charged with first- degree murder for the killing of Zachary Brooks, 37, who allegedly raped her numerous times in the weeks leading up to his death.

After running away from home several times between the months of March and June 2020,  Lewis met a 28-year-old musician who offered to take her in.  However, he had ill intentions and forced a young, homeless and impressionable Lewis to have sex with various men — including Brooks.

According to Lewis’ attorneys, on May 31, she refused to go to Brooks’ apartment and the musician reacted by cutting her neck and demanding her to go, People reports.

According to Lewis’ plea agreement, for the next two nights, she was forced to strip, drink alcohol and smoke marijuana, by Brooks and two other people, according to the Des Moines Register.

Weeks later, while visiting Brooks’ home in June, Lewis fell asleep and was awakened to Brooks raping her.  Once he fell asleep, the then 15-year-old says that she noticed a knife on the nightstand as she was getting ready to leave.

Lewis used the knife to kill Brooks as he slept, stabbing him 30 times. She stated in a plea deal that she didn’t plan his murder but was overcome with “rage” after being raped again, People reports.

The charges against Lewis were considered at a juvenile court hearing on July 6, 2021. A district associate judge waived her case to adult court, where she plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury. The teenager now faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge.

As also reported by The Des Moines Register, Robert Kinscherff, the executive director of the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior in Boston, testified on behalf of Lewis, stating that although the chance of her of committing a crime in the future would not be zero, a violent attack made in adolescence isn’t an indicator of violent tendencies in the future.

“I think it’s highly unlikely that Pieper would’ve done this on her own without these circumstances,” Kinscherff said, taking her anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms into consideration.

While in juvenile detention, Lewis graduated from high school. Wednesday was the first day of her sentencing hearing, which took place in a Polk County courtroom.

The musician who trafficked Lewis and brought her to Zachary Brooks has not been charged.

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