On November 23, 2019, Benson Lamont Lewis, a 49-year-old African American male, was fatally shot outside a residence in the South Kansas City area of Missouri. The incident took place on a Saturday morning in the 7900 block of East 117th Street, where Lewis had gone outside to speak with a man who had arrived at the home. Authorities were dispatched to the scene shortly after 8:30 a.m. following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, police found Lewis injured but still able to walk away from the immediate scene before he was transported to a local hospital. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The events leading up to the violence stemmed from an ongoing custody dispute involving Lewis's daughter and the father of her child, identified as 24-year-old Terrance D. Wright. Shortly before the shooting, Wright had reportedly sent text messages to the mother of his child, threatening to come to her home if she did not bring their daughter to him within a specific timeframe. When Wright arrived at the property in his vehicle, Lewis exited the house to confront or speak with him. During the encounter, Wright discharged a firearm, striking Lewis twice. Witnesses, including Lewis's daughter, reported that they did not hear an argument immediately preceding the gunshots, but observed Wright remaining at the scene briefly before walking away.
Police officers arrested Wright near the residence without incident. At the time of his apprehension, he was found in possession of a. 40-caliber handgun and a magazine containing live ammunition. When questioned by investigators, Wright allegedly apologized to Lewis's daughter, stating he did not mean to do it, but subsequently claimed that he had acted in self-defense. Prosecutors from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office charged Wright with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, holding him on a $250,000 cash bond while he awaited legal proceedings.
The case proceeded to trial in April 2021 at the Jackson County Circuit Court. During the proceedings, the defense maintained that Wright had fired the weapon to protect himself during the confrontation. After deliberating for less than an hour, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Wright of the murder charge. Following the acquittal, Wright was released from custody, having spent approximately 17 months in jail while awaiting the outcome of the trial.
