[JURIST] Algimantas Dailide [US DOJ press release], a retired real estate broker from the Cleveland and Gulfport FL areas, was convicted Monday in his Lithuanian hometown on charges of helping the Nazis [JURIST report] commit genocide [BBC backgrounder] against Jews in the town of Vilnius [Vilnius Ghetto backgrounder] during World War II. As a result of his conviction, Dailide faced 5-20 years in prison, but the Vilnius District Court ruled that the 85 year-old man was too frail to serve a sentence. Judge Alvyra Kvaraciejute said Dailide has not committed any crimes in the past 60 years and is no longer a threat to society. Lawyers for Dailide have 20 days to file an appeal, but it is unclear whether they will do so.

Dailide is the third person convicted of Nazi war crimes since Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. None of the three elderly men have been required to serve time in prison. Many say these convictions serve as evidence that Lithuanian officials are making attempts to follow through with their campaign [BBC report] to bring Nazi World War II war criminals to trial. AP has more.