MADISON -- A murder case is closed in Northeast Nebraska this Friday.

"We don't get to see him again. But she'll see her family again," said Ricky Peterson, Roger Saul's stepfather.

There were tears on both sides of the courtroom Friday, as Latessa Thomas faced her sentencing in the murder case of Roger Saul. The 25-year-old from Niobrara was given 35 to 50 years in prison on manslaughter and weapons charges, but the victim's family had hoped the manslaughter charge would be set at its maximum penalty.

"We don't feel it was a justified sentence. They knew she stabbed him, the witness tried to protect him," Peterson said.

The same frustrated feelings -- for other reasons -- were seen on the other side.

"The weapons charge received a sentence nearly twice of the underlying crime [..] It's concerning to get more time on a charge of a weapon than a crime," said Thomas' attorney Todd Lancaster. He expects to appeal the case, he told NCN.

Court documents allege Thomas stabbed 41-year-old Saul in the neck during an argument in Norfolk last year. She had previously pleaded no contest to amended charges and was found guilty this summer.

The victim's other family members told NCN they believe Thomas is dangerous to society; while Thomas' defense team said she was prone to act defensively because of years of trauma.

"This is a real unfortunate situation where members on the family of both sides knew each other well. Saul was someone Latessa looked up to as a father figure," Lancaster said.

"My feeling is that my brother didn't get justice. I think it's because the judge didn't look at this properly," said Emerson Saul, Roger's brother. "I don't think that's justice in any way."

Thomas was given credit for 299 days served.