TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A Gadsden County family is seeing long-awaited movement toward justice two years after Lewis Butler was killed while working security at a Havana internet café.
- A Gadsden County jury returned a $779 million wrongful death verdict, finding the café failed to take basic safety measures after an earlier armed robbery.
- State Sen. Michele Rayner has filed the Lewis Butler Act, raising penalties for illegal gambling operations from a misdemeanor to a felony.
- Watch the video below to learn how the Butler family’s push is influencing statewide change.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Senator Michele Rayner of District 62 said, "There’s so many areas where Mrs. Butler and her family was failed, and I think that, you know, this will to make sure that we can get some results for her and make sure that this never happens to another family."
Lewis Butler was killed while working security at a Havana internet cafe.
Now, two years later, his family is seeing major movement toward justice — both inside and outside the courtroom.
A Gadsden County jury recently returned a $779 million wrongful death verdict to the family. They found the cafe's operators failed to take basic safety measures after a previous armed robbery.
That verdict is now fueling a push for statewide change. Senator Michele Rayner has filed the Lewis Butler Act — a bill aimed at shutting down illegal gambling operations by raising the penalty for running them from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Senator Michele Rayner said,
"To me this is not a Republican, Democratic issue and I’m known to be that kind of person to not do bills that are partisan but do bills that are common sense and bills that are right. So my goal and my hope is that once we are able to introduce this language to a bill that people on both sides on the aisle would stand with us and certainly stand with Mrs. Butler."
Senator Rayner says partnering with the Butler family brings real-world impact to the legislation. She believes their story underscores the urgent need for tougher oversight and stronger penalties for businesses that allow illegal gambling.
Senator Michele Rayner said, "You have people that are spending their whole check in hopes to potentially become economically solvent and it’s unfortunate."
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