O'Kasick Guilty in Murder of Lindgren

By Peg Johnson
Minneapolis Tribune
Staff Writer

James O'Kasick was found guilty of murder in the third degree by an Anoka county jury, Wednesday night for the slaying of Eugene Lindgren, a hostage. The six men, six woman jury returned its verdict to judge Carl W. Gustafson at 10:06 P.M. after about 6 1/2 hours of deliberation.
THE JUDGE set sentencing for 9:30 a.m. Friday. The possible penalty is 14 to 60 years, double the normal sentence because O'Kasick has prior felony convictions.
O'Kasick, 21, already is under a life sentence for the murder of a Minneapolis policeman, Robert Fossum, and a 40-year term for the abduction, of; a l3loomington woman
O'Kasick still faces a charge of kidnapping Lindgren. He previously entered a plea of not guilty.
THE KIDNAPING charge carries a penalty of up to 40 years-80 for O'Kasick because of his prior convictions. If he pleads guilty or is tried and convicted it would be his fourth felony conviction, making a life sentence possible under the state's habitual criminal act.
Effect of the multiple sentences would be to virtually eliminate any parole prospects of O'Kasick.
The basic question for the jury to decide yesterday was whether Lindgren, a rural Anoka painting contractor, was killed by thee three O'Kasick brothers as they fled police Sept. 14 or was felled by a highway patrolman's shotgun.
THE STATE contended James' brother, Roger, 26, shot Lindgren on the Carlos Avery game farm in Anoka county just before Roger and another brother, Ronald, 24, were killed by James Crawford, state highway patrolman.
O'Kasick contended Crawford's shotgun killed Lindgren as well as t h-e two brothers. O'Kasick, fleeing with his brothers, shot himself as officers closed in. He recovered.
Patrolman Fossum was killed and another patrolman, Ward Canfield, was critically injured Aug. 17 when the officers chased a car containing the three O'Kasick brothers.


O'Kasick Sentenced

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