US News
Former Columbus police officer enters plea to reckless homicide in 2022 fatal shooting
Ricky Anderson submitted an Alford plea regarding the death of Donovan Lewis as prosecutors agreed to drop a murder charge.
The short version
- Former Columbus, Ohio, police officer Ricky Anderson entered an Alford plea to reckless homicide over the fatal August 2022 shooting of 20-year-old Donovan Lewis.
- Under the plea arrangement, state prosecutors dropped a murder charge against Anderson.
- Anderson faces a sentencing range spanning from probation to three years of imprisonment at an upcoming court hearing.
Key facts
- Ricky Anderson submitted an Alford plea to a charge of reckless homicide, allowing him to concede that sufficient evidence exists for a conviction without formally admitting guilt.[Associated Press]
- The Franklin County prosecuting attorney dropped a murder charge against Anderson in exchange for the plea.[Associated Press]
- The shooting took place in August 2022 around 2 a.m. when police arrived at Lewis' apartment to execute warrants for domestic violence, assault, and felony firearm offenses.[Associated Press]
- Defense counsel stated Anderson faces potential penalties ranging from probation to three years in prison.[Associated Press]
- The family of Donovan Lewis maintains a pending civil lawsuit against Anderson.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The exact sentencing date and the ultimate penalty Anderson will receive remain undetermined.[Associated Press]