Upset Father Questions Plea Deal in Las Vegas Shooting Case
The father of a woman who was shot and killed is expressing his frustration over a plea deal in the criminal case against the defendant. Lahela Kaiwi-Brewer is accused of shooting and killing Jaime Chase on September 23, 2022. Initially arrested on a murder charge, Kaiwi-Brewer pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with the use of a deadly weapon last June.
Gary Chase, Jaime’s father, spoke out against the plea deal, stating, It was not an accident. Saying I’m sorry doesn’t work. He shared his disappointment with the investigators of 8 News Now. The incident unfolded when surveillance video from a neighbor’s home showed Jaime Chase parking in front of Kaiwi-Brewer’s house. Her visit was prompted by the fact that Kaiwi-Brewer had driven one of Chase’s children to school without her permission.
A confrontation between the two women ensued, with arguments escalating. Unfortunately, the incident took a tragic turn when a shot was fired, resulting in Jaime Chase’s death. Chase’s boyfriend, who was present during the incident, informed the detectives that Kaiwi-Brewer did not immediately drop the gun and that he had to intervene to disarm her.
Jaime Chase’s father, Gary Chase, firmly believes that justice has not been served in this case. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the plea deal, stating, My daughter was unarmed. All she had was her words. She knew what she was doing. She knew where the gun was. She picked it up. She knew it was loaded. She stopped to cock it.
Chase recalls the devastating moment he received the news of his daughter’s death. He vividly remembers the phone call that delivered the heartbreaking news. He said, He said that there was a shooting and my daughter was killed and she’s gone. I’m sorry, Chase said. Pretty much all I remember him saying and I said, ‘You better not be messing with me. This is not a funny joke at all.’
Apart from coping with the loss of his daughter, Gary Chase now has the added responsibility of taking care of Jaime’s five children who range in age from four to thirteen. As they struggle to comprehend their mother’s absence, the family finds solace in the belief that Jaime’s spirit is watching over them. Sometimes they wake up crying at night, calling for her. They know she’s right there, Chase said. She helps guide us very much so. The kids go up and look up at the sky, talk to her all the time.
While grieving, Chase was taken aback when he learned that Kaiwi-Brewer had accepted a plea deal. Instead of facing a potential life sentence, she now faces a prison term of two to twenty years according to court documents. Gary Chase blames poor communication from the Clark County District Attorney’s office for the plea deal. District Attorney Steve Wolfson defended the decision, explaining that the plea deal was considered the best way to secure a conviction based on the facts of the case.
Despite the district attorney’s explanation, Gary Chase remains convinced that justice has not been served. This isn’t trying, he declared. This is laying down and letting me get kicked again. He is determined to continue fighting for justice for his daughter, while also focusing on providing support and care for his grandchildren.
Lahela Kaiwi-Brewer is scheduled for sentencing on September 12. She was released on a $150,000 bond on September 28, 2022, after spending twelve days in jail. Attorney Ryan Helmick, who represents Kaiwi-Brewer, has declined to comment on the case.
The outcome of this tragic shooting case has left the grieving family questioning the fairness and adequacy of the plea deal, as they seek a semblance of justice for their lost loved one.
