Former Hainesville man gets 16 years for 2003 stabbing -- again

A former Hainesville man was sentenced to 16 years in prison Friday for stabbing another man at a 2003 party.

The sentence for Mark Zimmerman, 27, was the same he received in 2006, before his original conviction in the case was reversed by the appellate court.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Constance Palas said Zimmerman was the host of a party at his house that night and had taken LSD and drank a fifth of whiskey.

Zimmerman argued with a 24-year-old man at the party he believed was paying too much attention to Zimmerman's girlfriend, then stabbed the man in the chest with a kitchen knife.

The knife came within inches of his heart and the victim eventually lost one of his lungs.

Zimmerman was convicted of armed violence and aggravated battery but found not guilty of attempted murder at his original trial.

The 2nd District Appellate court reversed the original conviction, saying that a hearing at which Zimmerman was found mentally fit to stand trial was improperly conducted.

Another fitness hearing was held and Zimmerman was again found fit, and a second jury found him guilty again last month.

Palas asked Associate Judge Daniel Shanes to impose the same 16-year sentence, while defense attorney Alex Rafferty asked for a shorter term but did not specify a term of years.

Shanes called the incident "a violent, vicious and needless crime," and said he believed the original sentence was appropriate.