- April 25, 2024
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Circuit Court Judge Joseph David Walsh sentenced Erick Niemi in a Monday, Dec. 8 hearing to life in prison without parole for the murder of Leonard Lynn, his landlord, in May 2013.
A Flagler County jury convicted Niemi of second-degree murder in October, 2014.
Two of Lynn’s children took the stand for the prosecution, both saying that Lynn was involved with the comunity through ihsi church and that his death at Niemi's hands resulted from his desire to help others.
“He felt that it was his duty to help hose less fortunate. It is sad that because of his convictions and trying to help someone, Mr. Niemi, it cost him his life," said Jill ALcanter, Lynn's daughter.
“We lost a person who, in later stages of life, had learned the value of helping others,” said Lynn's son, Chad Lynn. “This help had extended to the defendant but was not rightly appreciated.” Lynn said that justice would be served, but that "forgiveness is something totally different to that , and it’s here today largely because of the heart of the person whose life was taken."
Niemi’s attorney, John Valerino, called psychologist Louis Legum to testify before he sentencing.
Legum had earlier found Niemi competent to stand trial, he told the court, but only “marginally;” at the hearing Dec. 8, he said Niemi seemed to have an autism spectrum disorder and that he’d scored an overall IQ of 70 on intelligence battery tests.
His mother, Diane Bennett, said her son had been in special education classes as a child and graduated with limited reading and writing ability.
“We are heartbroken over what’s happened,” she said on the stand, speaking to Lynn’s family. “We really are. There s a broken piece that will never be fixed in our life also.”
Bennett said that Niemi had been born with his umbilical born wrapped around his neck and that he showed developmental problems early; he didn't begin speaking until the age of two, and was bullied in school by children who found his mannerisms odd.
Niemi spoke before the court briefly after the other witnesses. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he said.
After sentencing Niemi, Walsh recommended that the Department of Corrections place Niemi in a mental health program in prison.
“It is this court’s strongest recommendation to the Department of Corrections that this individual be screened upon his transport to the Department of Corrections for a suitable program of mental health treatment to address many of the issues presented today,” he said.
