Jessy Kurczewski: Wisconsin woman poisoned disabled friend with eyedrops, spent her savings on Vegas trip
WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN: A Wisconsin woman who was found guilty in 2023 of using eye drops to poison her disabled "friend" and robbing her money was given a life sentence on Friday, April 5.
Jessy Kurczewski was sentenced for the first-degree intentional homicide of her friend Lynn Hernan, 62. Kurczewski, 40, will be subject to a 30-year parole ban.
Jessy Kurczewski tried maintaining innocence
Judge Jennifer Dorow read the sentence, which called for the possibility of extended supervision following a 30-year prison term.
Dorow gave an explanation of the court's reasoning for imposing consecutive maximum sentences for additional counts of forgery and misappropriation, citing the seriousness of the offense and Kurczewski's prior conviction history.
"I think 30 years is a pretty significant amount of time. But my target is really for you," the judge said, highlighting the goal of making Kurczewski eligible for parole close to the age of 80, "older than what Lin would be today."
Kurczewski insisted Hernan died by suicide and maintained her innocence for almost two hours prior to the sentencing.
"It is a lot to be accused and convicted of murder. When I didn't do it. It won't bring her back and it won't make her life any easier. You're holding me responsible for what she did. Those are her decisions. Her choices. Her actions. And no one else's. Not even mine," Kurczewski said in tears, according to WISN.
Jessy Kurczewski's sentence was postponed twice
Kurczewski was convicted by a jury in November 2023 of first-degree intentional homicide and felony theft.
According to court documents, Kurczewski overdosed her friend by giving her a lethal dose of tetrahydrozoline, an over-the-counter medication for eye drops.
When Kurczewski called the police to her house in 2018, they discovered that her friend was unresponsive.
Although the initial report suggested a natural death, a subsequent investigation contradicted Kurczewski's account, finding the victim had high levels of the chemical in their system.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution insisted that Kurczewski had planned the death. The victim took the eye drops and used them in a suicidal way, according to the defense.
However, the trial took a dramatic turn when it became apparent that Kurczewski had researched the effects of tetrahydrozoline online.
Kurczewski was also accused of financial fraud; according to court records, she transferred large sums of money from the victim's accounts to her own and used it to pay for a number of pricey things, including a trip to Las Vegas.
The jury deliberated for several hours before reaching a unanimous verdict.
Kurczewski was supposed to be sentenced on December 7, 2023, but the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said that the hearing was postponed twice - once because her attorneys withdrew from the case and once more because of their withdrawal.
