Man sent to prison for woman's death

3/13/2003

Haji J. Amin, 29, was sentenced yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to 15 years to life in prison for the 1994 murder of Christine Lucas.

Judge Ruth Ann Franks also ordered Amin, of 820 Marmion Ave., to serve the remaining 81/2- year sentence for a 1996 robbery conviction. He was sentenced to 4 to 15 years on the conviction and released on parole in July.

A jury found Amin guilty on Tuesday of complicity to commit murder in the beating and drowning death of Ms. Lucas, who was found July 24, 1994, in the Maumee River near Lotus Avenue and Bowman Street.

Douglas Booth, 28, of 7544 West Central Ave., Sylvania Township, a co-defendant in the case, will be sentenced March 21. Booth, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and abduction, testified he pinned Ms. Lucas to the ground while Amin punched her repeatedly about the head and face, and struck her head with a rock. He said Amin held her head under water until she drowned.