Levi had been sentenced to 50 years in prison in 2012 at age 17 after he and three friends decided to enter a home they believed was unoccupied in order to burglarize the house. Levi was outside the house at the time of the burglary.
The homeowner, who was asleep upstairs, interrupted the burglary and shot and killed one of boy's inside the house.
Even though Levi was outside at the time, he and the three other boys were all charged with murder in the death of their friend, even though they didn't pull the trigger that killed him. However, since the death happened during the course of a burglary, they were charged with Felony Murder.
Eventually, Levi and one other boy appealed their cases because they believed the felony murder statute was improperly applied and their sentences were inappropriate.
Levi separately appealed his conviction of the murder charge arguing he wasn't in the house when Johnson was killed.
In September 2014, the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the convictions.
Levi's sentence was modified to an executed term of 45 years. However, in September 2015, the Indiana Supreme Court granted a transfer and vacated the Court of Appeals' opinion and overturned the murder conviction. The court ruled that in this case, the suspects were unarmed and none of the defendants engaged in violent or threatening conduct. There was nothing in their conduct that would "clearly mediate or immediate cause" of their friend's death, according to the court.
Because of this, the court found there was sufficient evidence to maintain a conviction on burglary charges, but not on the murder charge. The murder charge was reversed for Levi and the two other boys.
In this interview from 2016, Calamari cameras were with Miles and Levi on the day Levi was being released from prison after serving 4 years behind bars. During the interview, the young men talk about life in adult prison, and Levi credits Miles for helping him better himself during his time inside. Levi talks about Miles's commitment to education, and helping Levi understand the importance of education, too. Miles also discusses what it's like watching other cellmates be released from prison while he still faces so many years ahead.
At the end of the video, we walk with Levi as he packs all his things and walks through the prison yard to the back gates to finally reunite with his family after 5 years behind bars.
Together, both young men are an inspirational example of perseverance and determination during the darkest of times.
Update: We are told Levi is doing well and continues to keep in touch with Miles.
Miles finally received a sentence modification in 2020 and was transferred to a Work Release facility to serve out one final year of his modified sentence. He was officially freed from all Dept. of Correction custody in December, 2021. He went on to finish his college degree at Holy Cross College and was valedictorian of his class.
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