Higher court rejects appeal in Grand Island murder case

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) - The Nebraska Court of Appeals Tuesday rejected an appeal by a man convicted in a 5-year-old Grand Island murder case.

Court records show 28-year-old Ahmed Said was sentenced to 60-80 years in prison for the 2017 beating death of Abdulma Khamis. He was convicted of second-degree murder for hitting Khamis in the head with a blunt object.

In his handwritten appeal, Said said the Hall County District Court should have granted him relief from his sentence and conviction. He said his defense attorney failed to block several items of what Said described as “prejudicial evidence” which he claims would have changed the outcome of his murder trial.

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeals affirmed the Hall County District Court decision to deny Said post-conviction relief from his conviction and sentence. The appeals court rejected Said’s claims that his attorney improperly represented him.

Said has already lost a previous appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court

Grand Island Police said the murder happened April 13, 2017 in the 700 block of West First Street. Police found Khamis unconscious and he later died of injuries to his head. Police believed Said killed Khamis by hitting him in the head with a blunt object.