Steven Mark Palmer
SEASIDE — 54-year-old Steven Mark Palmer of Monterey will be almost 80 when he gets out of prison. He has been convicted of inflicting corporal injury on his ex-girlfriend on March 13th of last year at Laguna Grande Park in Seaside.
On that day, Palmer went into a homeless camp in Laguna Grande Park in Seaside to talk with his ex, who was staying there with her new boyfriend. A heated argument ensued and Palmer allegedly threw lighter on the couple and set their tent on fire with a homemade torch.
She suffered second- and third-degree burns to her face, body, arms, and legs to the point where she will have permanent limited function in her hands. Her boyfriend also suffered from burns and smoke inhalation.
Palmer pleaded guilty to force likely to cause great bodily injury for the attacks. He also pleaded guilty to mayhem or unlawfully and maliciously causing his ex-girlfriend to suffer disfiguring injuries.
Palmer also pleaded guilty to a separate domestic violence incident in which he inflicted corporal injury on a woman he was dating in February of last year.
On May 26, 2016, Judge Julie Culver is projected to hand down a fixed term sentence of 25 years and 8 months in state prison.
