Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Iowa and other states filed past the flag-draped casket of Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith, who was shot and killed last week while trying to arrest a man barricaded inside his home. Friday’s funeral, which was open to the public, was held in the high school gymnasium in Smith’s hometown of Independence. Smith, a 27-year-veteran of the patrol, was shot and killed April 9 during a standoff in Grundy Center with 41-year-old Michael Thomas Lang. Lang, who also was shot and critically wounded, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Police in Cedar Rapids are investigating the shooting death of a man who was found with gunshot wounds in a driveway several blocks east of Interstate 380. Police say in a news release that officers were called to the area just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of shots fired and people running from a home where the shooting was reported. Arriving officers found a 26-year-old man behind a parked vehicle in a driveway with several gunshot wounds. Police, firefighters and medics administered emergency care to the man, but he died at the scene. Detectives gathered evidence at the scene. No arrests had been reported by Friday morning.
At least two coronavirus variants are present in Iowa. One first identified in Europe is now believed to be the most prevalent strain in the state while public officials say they have confirmed a case of the more recent Brazil strain in eastern Iowa. The European variant is believed to be about 50% more infectious that the original virus strain but health officials say they are not seeing more severe illnesses from it. They believe the current vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness. The Brazil variant was found in Johnson County by a state lab conducting genetic sequencing. It is still under study to determine vaccine effectiveness.
A divided Iowa Supreme Court is upholding a portion of a 2019 law that prohibits people seeking an appeal of their criminal conviction from filing documents on their own when they’re represented by an attorney. The justices considered an appeal by John Lee Hrbek of Council Bluffs, who was convicted of two counts of murder in 1981. Hrbek has filed numerous appeals and has been active in filing documents along with his attorney but a judge ordered him to stop. He appealed and a majority of the court said the legislature can establish a general system of practice in all Iowa courts. Three justices disagreed, saying the law violates the constitutional separation of powers.
