Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old Lewis A. Keys of Buffalo was arraigned yesterday morning before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek on an indictment charging him with one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony).

A co-defendant, 20-year-old Daiquan A. Busby of Buffalo, was initially arraigned on the charge in Buffalo City Court on December 20, 2022. He was held without bail. The matter was presented to the Grand Jury. On January 12, 2023, Busby was arraigned on the indictment, charging him with one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree. Indictment warrants were issued for two co-defendants, Lewis Keys and Christopher L. Busby.

The second co-defendant, 39-year-old Christopher L. Busby, was arrested on the indictment warrant on Friday, January 13, 2023. Busby, who is the father of Daiquan Busby, was arraigned before Justice Wojtaszek on one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree.  

It is alleged that on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at approximately 10:00 p.m., the defendants, while acting in concert with each another, assaulted the victim inside of an apartment building on the 100 block of Rodney Street in the City of Buffalo. The defendants are accused of fatally beating the victim by repeatedly punching, kicking and dragging him down the stairs.

The victim, 25-year-old Mikhail C. Scott, was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he died from his injuries. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the manner of death was homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.

Busby, Busby and Keys are scheduled to return on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. Busby and Busby were held without bail. Keys was held on $250,000 cash, bond or property.  

If convicted of the charge, the maximum sentence is 25 years in prison.  

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rebecca L. Schnirel of the Homicide Unit.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.