Grand Jury

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“took so long” because prosecutors were planning on “charging everyone that’s possible.”

Sticht wouldn’t say how many people were involved in the incident. UPD announced the night of Lewis’ death that they were searching for “at least four individuals who may have been involved” and later asked for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest.

Sticht said that he disclosed the information to Roquishia Lewis, Tyler Lewis’ mother, in order to “give her some kind of solace.”

“Roquishia Lewis has been stronger through all of this than anyone I could imagine,” Sticht said in a phone interview Wednesday. “The night that Tyler died, I had a confidential relationship with Roquishia Lewis. She was able to give us information that was absolutely instrumental to this, and I’m disappointed that somebody in her entourage recorded me.”

In his interview with The Spectrum, Sticht wouldn’t confirm or deny many of the details disclosed in the recording, but he did confirm that UPD had finished its part of the investigation and that UPD stopped returning the Lewis family’s calls after the DA’s Office requested to take over direct communication with the Lewis family.

“I can promise all of you, like I promised you that first night: We will never let this go,” Sticht said in the recording.

A spokesperson for the DA’s Office declined to comment, citing “the ongoing investigation.” Erie County DA John Flynn said in a Feb. 1 statement that his office’s investigation into the death of Tyler Lewis is “nearly complete.”

“I’m still shaky with it,” Roquishia Lewis said in a phone interview Wednesday.

“I’m hopeful. I mean, I have to. I have no choice.”

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

UB is inviting Sherrilyn Ifill, civil rights lawyer and former President/DirectorCounsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, on Feb. 16, as a part of its Distinguished Speaker Series.

On Feb. 18, Brittany Jones, a Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University, will present a virtual presentation on the topic “Why aren’t Black people allowed to fear in U.S. history?”

The final event, on Feb. 28, will be a conversation with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York Trini E. Ross titled, “Celebrating Black History.” Ross earned a Juris Doctor (a graduate-entry degree in law) from UB in 1992. Additionally, members of the campus community can show support to Buffalo’s Black community by promoting and purchasing from Black-owned businesses.

Morgan ST. Ross contributed to the reporting of this story.

Email: victoria.hill@ubspectrum.com