Albany man pleads guilty to fatal Lincoln Park beating
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An Albany man pleaded guilty on Friday to a deadly 2021 beatdown in Lincoln Park. On September 19, 2021, officers were sent to the park after hearing that an injured man was lying in the bushes. Police found Thai Nguyen, 64, suffering from serious head and face injuries.
Nguyen was treated at the scene and taken to Albany Medical Center. He was admitted there for months with serious injuries, until he eventually died on December 21, 2021.
Nicholas Lewis, 27, was accused of delivering the fatal blows in April 2022. The next month, he pleaded not guilty to a single charge of second-degree murder.
Now, after his lawyers struck a plea deal, Lewis is coming clean about the brutal slaying. He admitted on Friday that he intentionally killed Nguyen, by hitting him repeatedly.
Lewis had several other cases still pending in Albany County Court, including two robberies that took place on September 19, 2021—the same night of Nguyen's murder. Prosecutors said Friday's plea will satisfy all of those charges.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 10, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Lewis faces 25 years to life in state prison.