A Des Moines teenager is appealing a court order to pay $150,000 restitution to the family of her accused rapist.  According to Iowa law, any person who is convicted of causing the death of another person has to pay a minimum of $150,000 to the victim’s estate.  Attorneys for Pieper Lewis say the restitution for Brooks Family is an “Illegal Sentence” because Brooks was identified as a person responsible for human-trafficking Pieper for sex.  Pieper Lewis has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter after she killed Zachary Brooks.  Brooks had been keeping her locked up and continually sexually assaulting her.  Lewis, then 15, stabbed Brooks with a knife she found in his apartment after another assault.  Lewis was sentenced to 5 years of supervised probation and to pay restitution. Minimal sentences for voluntary manslaughter in Iowa.  Now we wait to see if her appeal is accepted or not, this comes after the public raised over $300,000 to help Lewis pay restitution.

Zach Tomesch, KFJB News Reporter