Illegal rooming house landlord Isaac “Ike” Lewis on Thursday was denied bond pending appeal of his conviction for violating multiple city ordinances.
Chatham County Recorder’s Court Chief Judge Tammy Stokes said in denying bond that she thought her sentence in the case “has been a fair one considering all the evidence.”
Stokes sentenced Lewis, 55, on Tuesday to 17 months in jail, suspended half of it and fined him $74,050. She ordered him to jail immediately.
Lewis’ lawyer, Bobby Phillips, asked Stokes to consider a bond while he appealed her ruling to Superior Court. If the court grants a new hearing and finds error in Stokes’ ruling, Phillips argued, it would be a “really egregious” violation of Lewis’ rights.
“We intend to file an appeal,” Phillips said. “The court sent him a wake up message (on Tuesday).”
But Assistant City Attorney Lester B. Johnson III said the city vigorously opposed granting a bond for Lewis. He said Lewis had been informed of the violations and given an opportunity to correct them, but “he did not.”