Thursday, 13 Apr 2023
Seeking Justice When a Teenage Victim Fights Back
Pieper Lewis was 15 when she fatally stabbed her rapist more than 30 times in June 2020 in a Des Moines apartment. She pleaded guilty in June 2021 to voluntary manslaughter and willful injury. Pieper’s legal team, led by Assistant State Public Defenders Matthew Sheeley, Magdalena Reese, and Paul White, worked tirelessly to seek justice for Pieper who faced up to 20 years in prison.