TUCSON, ARIZONA – April 23, 2021 – Laura Conover and the new administration of the Pima County Attorney’s Office (PCAO) committed to the community to be accountable and as thorough as possible, especially on in-custody deaths.
Thus, when the family of Bradley “Alex” Lewis and Laura herself learned in March that criminal charges had been declined by this Office – not from proper channels, but through the media – Laura decided to personally start anew the entire investigation, along with PCAO Chief Deputy Tamara Mulembo and Chief Criminal Deputy Dan South.
At the end of their new, thorough review, it was decided that no charges could or should be sought against the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) deputies involved in the Jan. 20 death of Mr. Lewis, and an addendum was submitted to the original declination. However, this time, the decision was communicated to the grieving family, to the Sheriff himself, and then the attorney for Deputy Gilbert Caudillo, all in short order, on the Saturday of Easter weekend, April 3. Since then, Laura has declined to issue a further statement, until now, to allow the Lewis family time to review the voluminous documentation of the investigation. Laura regrets the additional time that had to be taken; time can equal added stress. But the job must be done right, not fast.
Laura sends her condolences to all impacted by this tragedy, including the Lewis family and PCSD deputies.
