Jimmy Lerner
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lerner was born June 22, 1951 and raised in Brooklyn
, New York
. He spent 18 years as a Pacific Bell
marketing executive, served for the U.S. Army in Panama
, received an M.B.A. and spent time as a taxicab driver. He published his first book in 2002, You Got Nothing Coming, based on his experiences serving a 2½ year sentence in a Nevada State Prison for the voluntary manslaughter of Mark Slavin in 1998.
According to Lerner's account, Slavin was a seemingly ordinary person, but drug addiction left him prone to erratic and often violent behavior. When the two men visited Reno
, Nevada
to try their luck at the blackjack
tables, Slavin assaulted Lerner, then tried to kill him in their room at the Sundowner Hotel and Casino. After Slavin threatened Lerner's two daughters, Lerner killed Slavin using a belt and a plastic bag. He then called 9-1-1
from the room, and was taken into custody shortly after. Since there was nobody else in the room at the time, Lerner's version of events could not be verified.
In his novel, Lerner describes his victim as six foot four inches tall and well over 200 pounds, while Slavin was only five foot four, weighing 133 pounds. The police report from the crime indicates that Slavin was more likely tortured and then killed, rather than being killed in self defense.
Lerner pled guilty to a reduced plea of voluntary manslaughter
with use of a deadly weapon, and was given two six-year sentences, to be served consecutively. He began his first sentence on July 4, 1999, and after three parole attempts was released on January 4, 2002.
In 2004, Slavin's sister Donna Seres sued Lerner under Nevada's Son of Sam law
, which prohibits criminals from profiting from their crimes. On December 23, 2004, the Nevada Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional and dismissed the case.
Lerner has written a book of poetry, It's All Part of the Punishment, which is published on his website. As of 2005 he is at work on a novel entitled The Therapy Ain't Working.
In 2002, Scott Adams
, the author of Dilbert
, pointed out that he had a cubicle near Lerner while working at Pacific Bell. Adams also jokingly claims that, indirectly, he influenced Lerner into becoming an author.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He spent 18 years as a Pacific Bell
Pacific Bell
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was the name of the Bell System's telephone operations in California. It gained in size by acquiring smaller telephone companies along the Pacific coast, such as Sunset Telephone & Telegraph in 1917...
marketing executive, served for the U.S. Army in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, received an M.B.A. and spent time as a taxicab driver. He published his first book in 2002, You Got Nothing Coming, based on his experiences serving a 2½ year sentence in a Nevada State Prison for the voluntary manslaughter of Mark Slavin in 1998.
According to Lerner's account, Slavin was a seemingly ordinary person, but drug addiction left him prone to erratic and often violent behavior. When the two men visited Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
to try their luck at the blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
tables, Slavin assaulted Lerner, then tried to kill him in their room at the Sundowner Hotel and Casino. After Slavin threatened Lerner's two daughters, Lerner killed Slavin using a belt and a plastic bag. He then called 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
from the room, and was taken into custody shortly after. Since there was nobody else in the room at the time, Lerner's version of events could not be verified.
In his novel, Lerner describes his victim as six foot four inches tall and well over 200 pounds, while Slavin was only five foot four, weighing 133 pounds. The police report from the crime indicates that Slavin was more likely tortured and then killed, rather than being killed in self defense.
Lerner pled guilty to a reduced plea of voluntary manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
with use of a deadly weapon, and was given two six-year sentences, to be served consecutively. He began his first sentence on July 4, 1999, and after three parole attempts was released on January 4, 2002.
In 2004, Slavin's sister Donna Seres sued Lerner under Nevada's Son of Sam law
Son of Sam law
A Son of Sam Law is any American law designed to keep criminals from profiting from the publicity of their crimes, often by selling their stories to publishers. However, this is not in the same manner of asset forfeiture, which is intended to seize assets acquired directly as a result of criminal...
, which prohibits criminals from profiting from their crimes. On December 23, 2004, the Nevada Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional and dismissed the case.
Lerner has written a book of poetry, It's All Part of the Punishment, which is published on his website. As of 2005 he is at work on a novel entitled The Therapy Ain't Working.
In 2002, Scott Adams
Scott Adams
Scott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
, the author of Dilbert
Dilbert
Dilbert is an American comic strip written and drawn by Scott Adams. First published on April 16, 1989, Dilbert is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office featuring the engineer Dilbert as the title character...
, pointed out that he had a cubicle near Lerner while working at Pacific Bell. Adams also jokingly claims that, indirectly, he influenced Lerner into becoming an author.