Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced today that a Lido Beach man was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of Khaseen Morris, a 16-year-old Oceanside High School student, in September 2019.
Tyler Flach, 22, was convicted after a jury trial before Judge Howard Sturim on charges of Murder in the Second Degree (an A-I felony); Gang Assault in the First Degree (a B violent felony); Assault in the Third Degree (an A misdemeanor); and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (an A misdemeanor).
The trial began on October 13, 2022, and closings occurred on October 25, 2022. The jury returned a verdict on November 1, 2022.
“Khaseen Morris was intelligent, friendly and had a smile that could light up a room,” DA Donnelly said. “The young man was only 16 years of age and had recently transferred to a new high school, where he was making friends. The defendant, angry that Morris had walked a girl home, organized a group and went to a local strip mall with the intention of attacking Morris. Tyler Flach stabbed Morris in the chest and took the young man’s life. This was an incredibly senseless murder and I thank our prosecutors, the Nassau County Police Department detectives and the jurors who sat on this trial, for carefully reviewing the evidence. We continue to stand with Khaseen’s family, friends, and community as they mourn his tragic loss.”
DA Donnelly said that on September 16, 2019, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Flach and his group exited Flach’s vehicle on Brower Avenue in Oceanside and attacked 16-year-old Khaseen Morris and several of his friends during an after-school fight outside of a strip mall. During the altercation, Flach stabbed Morris in the heart and the victim’s heart stopped beating.
Morris was taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau where trauma doctors were able to revive him, however, Morris passed away at 11:55 p.m. on September 16, 2019.
Morris had recently transferred schools and had only attended Oceanside High School for approximately ten days before the incident.
Flach surrendered to the Nassau County Police Department on September 18, 2019.
The defendant was convicted of murder, gang assault and weapons possession as they related to the death of Morris and convicted of assault in the third degree for breaking the arm of another teenager.
Co-defendant Haakim Mechan was sentenced on February 23, 2023, to three years in prison with three years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to attempted gang assault in the second degree.
Deputy Bureau Chief Daryl Levy and Senior Litigation Counsel Ania Pulaski of the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case. Flach is represented by Jonathan Rosenberg, Esq.
The defendant was represented at trial by Edward Sapone, Esq, Fred Sosinsky, Esq. and Keith O’Donnell, Esq.
Mechan was represented by Aaron Wallenstein, Esq.