18-year prison term for brutal Apple Valley slaying

An Apple Valley man who killed a taxi driver with a screwdriver was sentenced to 18 years in prison, but with "good time" could be out in 12 years. That sentence frustrated the victim's mother and Dakota County's top prosecutor on Thursday.

In Hastings, Judge Erica MacDonald sentenced Abdirahman A. Abdikarim for the second-degree unintentional murder of Michael A. Palm Jr., 41, of Apple Valley.

"How can they justify 12 years as a fair sentence for brutally murdering my son?" Linda Palm said.

Abdikarim has confessed that early on Aug. 1, 2009, he broke into Palm's parked taxi, then killed the cabdriver when he awoke in the back seat.

The 20-year-old Apple Valley man would serve at least three years on supervised release after prison. More than a year also will be knocked off his prison term for time served in jail while awaiting trial.

Abdikarim had been indicted on charges of first-degree and second-degree intentional murder. But those charges were dropped after one witness fled to Kenya, a second fled to a southern state and a third recanted his statement to Apple Valley police.

Prosecutors reluctantly offered a plea deal just before the trial was to begin.

The victim's family wanted a life sentence without parole. Still, the victim's father, Michael Palm Sr., said the judge was as fair as possible.

"We would have liked more, but we're glad he's going to prison for the length of time that he is," he said.

First-degree murder is punishable by up 30 years in prison. State sentencing guidelines call for 15 to 21 years for second-degree unintentional murder.

Prosecutors asked for 21 years. Defense attorney Earl Gray asked for 12 years.

In October, when Abdikarim accepted his plea deal, he told the judge that he and an accomplice were breaking into cars when they came upon the taxi in an Apple Valley parking lot before daybreak. He said he was "surprised" when the cabdriver woke up in the back seat. He said he had a screwdriver in his hand and began hitting the driver during a struggle.

Said the victim's father: "He's getting sentenced, of course he's sorry now."

The victim's parents thanked Apple Valley police and prosecutor Scott Hersey.