Iowa News
LIBERAL LAW SCHOOL? Jurors mull claim of liberal bias at U. Iowa law DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – A lawyer for a conservative passed over for jobs at the University of Iowa law school is asking jurors to find that she was a victim of political discrimination and award more than $400,000 in damages. Steve Fieweger told jurors Monday that Teresa Wagner was rejected for positions by “blazing liberal” faculty members because of her opposition to abortion rights. Fieweger said their testimony that she botched the job interview was made up to hide discrimination. He compared the situation to minorities once given bogus excuses for not being allowed to join country clubs. George Carroll, a lawyer for the school, said it was Wagner who was improperly imposing her political beliefs by arguing professors could not judge her fairly simply because they were registered Democrats. Jurors started deliberating Monday.
ROMNEY-IOWA Romney plans Cedar Rapids stop; Obama in Davenport DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Mitt Romney plans to campaign Wednesday in Cedar Rapids, making it a busy day for presidential candidates in the state. Romney, the Republican nominee, will speak at a rally Wednesday night at a Cedar Rapids airport hangar. On Wednesday morning, President Barack Obama will speak at a rally at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport. Their appearances will follow Monday’s night’s final debate and come less than two weeks before the Nov. 6 election. Most polls show a tight race nationally. Iowa is among nine battleground states that are expected to decide who wins the presidential race.
CROP REPORT-IOWA Widespread rain delays end of harvest in Iowa DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa farmers are very close to wrapping up this year’s harvest, but work was delayed by some much-needed rain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 93 percent of the corn crop has been harvested, which is a month ahead of schedule. Ninety-six percent of the soybean crop is in, almost three weeks ahead of normal. The USDA says in Monday’s weekly report that widespread rain helped Iowa’s pasture and range land, but 73 percent is in very poor or poor condition. Hay supplies are running about 42 percent short. A slow-moving storm system brought rain to the state on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The statewide average was a-half inch, just shy of the weekly normal of 0.56 inches. LANDLORD SLAYING TRIAL Sentencing delayed in Iowa City landlord slaying (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in the slaying of an Iowa City landlord won’t be sentenced until next year. The Gazette in Cedar Rapids says Charles Thompson’s sentencing has been rescheduled because a co-defendant’s trial has been postponed. Thompson was charged with first-degree murder in the 2009 death of 64-year-old John Versypt, of Cordova, Ill., A judge declared a mistrial in his case a year ago. Thompson then pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and agreed to testify in the murder trial of Justin Marshall. Marshall’s trial has been delayed until Jan. 22. Thompson’s sentencing hearing is now set for Feb. 11. A third man, Courtney White, is scheduled to go to trial for first-degree murder on Jan. 8.
DEPUTY SHOOTING No charges against Iowa deputy in fatal shooting DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says no charges will be filed against a Van Buren County deputy who shot and killed a man last week. Authorities say Deputy Jon Tharp fired one shot that killed 59-year-old Robert Dooley, of Brighton, on Oct. 16. Dooley was shot on Iowa Highway 2 near Cantril. Deputies were investigating reports of a man wearing a military uniform and armed with a rifle walking along the highway and making obscene gestures. The agency says deputies ordered Dooley to drop the rifle. Dooley raised the rifle toward the deputies, and Tharp shot him. The agency says Dooley’s weapon was an air rifle that looked like a Winchester lever action rifle. The DCI says Monday that Tharp’s actions were justified and no charges will be filed.
WORK RELEASE ESCAPE-DES MOINES Inmate returns to Des Moines work release center DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say an inmate who failed to return to a work release center in Des Moines is back in custody after she voluntarily came back to the facility. The Iowa Department of Corrections says 24-year-old Tibise Joseph was placed on escape status when she didn’t return to the center as scheduled on Sunday. Authorities say she showed up later on Sunday and is being held in the Polk County jail for violating her work release. Joseph was sentenced in 2009 to up to 20 years in prison for assault and theft in Polk County. She was transferred to work release in April.
WEST LAKE OKOBOJI-DEATH Man drowned in northwest Iowa lake, officials say SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a man who apparently drowned in West Lake Okoboji (OH’-kih-BOH’-jee) in northern Iowa over the weekend. The Dickinson County sheriff’s office says a relative found 30-year-old Andrew Goll, of Des Moines, in the water Saturday afternoon. Officials say Goll had been working on a dock in the area. His death is under investigation.