Closing arguments in Fresno landlord's murder trial

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno County jury heard closing arguments in the trial of an east central Fresno landlord accused of killing his tenant Tuesday.

"I am asking every one of you to find him guilty of first-degree murder," Deputy District Attorney Liz Owen told the jury.

She urged the jury to find 80-year-old Ira Gordon Lewis of murder in the case that stems from a May shooting when prosecutors say Lewis killed Michael Brady over unpaid rent.

"We knew he wanted to kill him because he did it. He shot him three times. Including when he's walking away. One more for good measure," Owen said.

Lewis took the stand in his own defense on Friday, and he told the jury he was acting in self-defense after an angry Brady approached him with a wrench.

But in the courtroom Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Liz Owen shot that idea down.

"It's because it didn't happen," Owen said. "That wrench was never in his hand. He never charged the defendant with a wrench."

Moments later, Lewis' public defender, Keegan Smith, pushed back during his lengthy closing argument.

Smith told the jury that Brady was on meth, much larger than Lewis, and had a long history of aggression and violence toward others.

At one point, the public defender asked his client to stand. Smith compared his height to that of Lewis and Brady.

"You would have to add another two-thirds of Mr. Lewis to me to get to Mr. Brady," Smith said. "To get to that 366 pounds," he said, referring to Brady's weight at the time of his death.

Smith told the jury that Lewis had reason to fear Brady, and he called Lewis brave for confronting his tenant in the first place.

He urged the jury to find that Lewis acted in self-defense.

"Mr. Lewis is not guilty if he was justified in killing someone in self-defense," Smith said. "That's what the (jury) instruction says."

The case is now in the hands of 12 jurors, who will begin deliberations Wednesday morning.

They will decide if the 80-year-old Lewis was acting in self-defense or if he is guilty of murder.

If convicted, Lewis could face 50 years or more in prison.

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