Minot man who got 100 years in prison for killing dad resentenced to life without parole

MINOT —

A 100-year jail sentence

for a Minot man who killed his father was declared unlawful final month, however he nonetheless will spend the remainder of his life behind bars, a choose decided this week.

Ward County Choose Douglas Mattson sentenced 32-year-old Christopher Alan Vickerman on Monday, Dec. 19, to life in jail with out parole, the utmost punishment for homicide in North Dakota. It’s unclear if he’ll enchantment the choice.

The resentencing was for the Might 10, 2019, taking pictures of 55-year-old Mark Vickerman. A jury beforehand discovered Christopher Vickerman responsible of homicide after prosecutors argued the son had deliberate his father’s loss of life for months, in line with a Minot Day by day Information article.

The 2 had a troubled relationship and argued over enterprise, cash and custody of Christopher Vickerman’s kids. Some witnesses testified at trial that Mark Vickerman feared his son, and jurors heard an announcement from the daddy that police ought to take a look at Christopher Vickerman if Mark Vickerman died by violence, in line with courtroom paperwork.

The protection argued that Christopher Vickerman had no management over his actions as a result of he was schizophrenic. Prosecutors mentioned no psychological well being skilled discovered him to be unfit for trial.

Ward County State’s Legal professional Rozanna Larson requested for the utmost punishment throughout Christopher Vickerman’s first sentencing listening to in March, in addition to throughout Monday’s courtroom look. Protection lawyer Robert Martin adopted his consumer’s needs in arguing for the minimal sentence, which is 4 years in jail.

In the course of the first sentencing listening to, Mattson known as the defendant’s actions “despicable, lower than honorable,” in line with courtroom paperwork. He gave Christopher Vickerman 100 years in jail, although he would solely need to serve 80 if he didn’t violate the phrases of his supervised probation.

The choose expressed frustration with the North Dakota Division of Corrections’ “perceived shortening of sentences” in recent times, or fairly granting early parole to defendants, courtroom paperwork mentioned.

“(My) confidence within the (DOC) has definitely been shaken,” Mattson mentioned in courtroom paperwork, including that he wished to make it troublesome for the state jail system to go in opposition to his order.

The North Dakota Supreme Court docket overturned Christopher Vickerman’s sentence as a result of it exceeded his life expectancy. These convicted of homicide however not sentenced to life in jail are eligible for launch after serving 85% of their sentence.

Christopher Vickerman would have served 66 years in jail earlier than he may qualify for parole if the sentence stood. He could be 96 years outdated when launched from the State Penitentiary in 2087.

Martin mentioned he by no means felt snug with the preliminary sentence. He known as the second sentence authorized.

Larson mentioned she was happy with the life with out parole sentence. A presentence investigation discovered Christopher Vickerman wouldn’t reply positively to probation, and it was unlikely he wouldn’t commit the same crime as soon as launched from jail.

It’s attainable for Christopher Vickerman to enchantment the second sentence, mentioned Kiara Kraus-Parr, a Grand Forks lawyer who recurrently seems earlier than the state Supreme Court docket to enchantment convictions on behalf of defendants. However success appears unlikely, she mentioned.

“I don’t assume it’d be overturned as a result of the North Dakota Supreme Court docket already mentioned they have been unsure if the courtroom was initially attempting to condemn to life with out parole,” she mentioned, noting it was her educated opinion and never authorized recommendation. “If he’s resentenced to that, I’m fairly positive they’d conclude that was the intent of the courtroom all alongside and never a harsher punishment.”