After moving testimony, District Court Judge Timothy Finn sentenced Luke Joseph Nielsen Abrams Friday to seven consecutive years in an Iowa state penitentiary.

Continuously clearing his throat and fighting back tears, William Sellers explained to Finn why Abrams should receive the maximum punishment for his role in the stabbing death of Sellers’ son, Harold “Uri” Sellers.

“I feel he should have the maximum sentence with absolutely no parole,” Sellers said angrily. “If there could be a death sentence in Iowa, I wish they would have one.”

Uri Sellers was stabbed to death in front of Adelante Fraternity, 318 Welch Ave., during the last year’s Veishea celebration after a dispute with Abrams and Michael Ron Runyan. Runyan was found guilty of first-degree murder earlier this month.

Abrams pleaded guilty to going armed with intent and being an accessory after the fact.

Finn said he believed Abrams had a hand in Sellers’ murder .

“The fact is that your actions sparked the cause of this [murder],” Finn said. “I don’t believe you’ve clearly recognized the impact of you actions and responsibility.

“If you hadn’t been there, I don’t think this murder would have occurred,” he said.

Assistant Story County Attorney Stephen Holmes argued it is imperative Abrams be put in a structured setting.

“The state is in the opinion that Mr. Abrams has had many chances,” he said.

Betsy Woodley, an individual family counselor with Youth and Sheltered Services of Des Moines, testified on behalf of Abrams.

Woodley said she knew Abrams from the time he was about six years old to 11 years old, when she lived in Fort Dodge. She said Abrams spent a considerable amount of time at her home because he was a friend of her sons.

“He was a good boy,” Woodley said. “He spent a lot of time alone. He didn’t really have a good role model.”

Woodley said Abrams was never any trouble while she supervised him at her home. She said he was an unhappy child who sought approval.

“I thought Luke was excited when his mom remarried because he thought he would get a role model, but it didn’t work out that way,” Woodley said.

Woodley argued the best place for Abrams would be a halfway house where he could have structure and guidance.

“I’m not saying that Luke shouldn’t be punished for what he did,” Woodley said. “A lack of structure makes a big difference. He deserves guidance.”

Woodley said she lost contact of Abrams after she moved in 1989.

Casey Jo Hayes, another of Abrams’ acquaintances, also testified.

Hayes is an employee at the State Training School in Eldora, Iowa, and was Abrams’ counselor during his nearly two-month stay at the school in 1996.

Hayes said Abrams was at the school on methamphetamine charges.

During Abrams’ stay at the school, he was involved in numerous assaults and fights, Hayes said.

He recommended Abrams be held in a state training school and that he receive special treatment.

“There are documents of him having a positive attitude,” Hayes said.

But he also said Abrams was in another fight about five days before he was released from the institution on Oct. 20, 1996.

“My opinion is that Luke is in need of a structured facility, and that is my recommendation,” Hayes said.

Abrams, who was clean-cut and shaven, showed almost no emotion as Bill Sellers explained the effect his son’s murder and trial had on himself and his family.

“The biggest thing is the emptiness feeling,” Sellers said. “We have memories, but we are losing memories.”

Sellers said the trial has brought him and his fianc‚e closer together. “Mary and I both live in fear for both of our children now,” he said.