An Iowa man who claims he is being held in jail while facing deportation, without the opportunity to argue for release on bond, is suing county and federal officials for alleged violations of his due process rights. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, alleges the actions of federal […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCommunity/News
As jury finds Trump guilty on 34 felony counts, chorus of Iowa Republicans denounce trial as a ‘sham’
“We should all be thankful for the careful attention that this jury paid to the evidence and the law, and their time and commitment over these past several weeks,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said during a news conference on Thursday after former president Donald Trump was convicted on “34 counts of falsifying business records […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Pieper Lewis case reignites conversations about sex trafficking in Iowa: ‘I think things are going to change’
Pieper Lewis’s case became national news when the 17-year-old was sentenced last month for the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks, who allegedly bought her from a sex trafficker and repeatedly raped her. Lewis was arrested when she was 15 and spent two years in jail before her sentencing. According to the Des Moines […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Formerly incarcerated women in Iowa share the challenges they faced during re-entry
Lisa Smith felt like “nothing was done” to prepare her for re-entry following the six years she served at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women. She also wasn’t prepared for the loneliness she would feel. “I was surrounded by women all the time, and when I got out, not only did I not have this […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa is no longer the only state to disenfranchise all people convicted of felonies
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order that automatically restores the voting rights of almost all Iowans convicted of a felony, as well as their right to hold public office. The bill excludes people convicted of murder and manslaughter, although they can still individually apply to the governor for the restoration of their rights. “Iowa […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘How we treat the formerly incarcerated doesn’t rank very high in the minds of most folks’: With COVID-19, the fight against recidivism in Iowa is even more urgent
Eddie Walker was released from prison last June after being incarcerated for 18 years for a robbery charge. Now living in Iowa City, Walker recalled the arduous process of finding an apartment after his release; in one instance, he was told by a rental company that he was an ideal potential renter, but they wouldn’t […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Gov. Reynolds says she will issue executive order restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies
Gov. Kim Reynolds confirmed on Tuesday she has committed to signing an executive order restoring voting rights. Details about the order are not yet finalized, Reynolds said while visiting a Test Iowa site in Osage. “We’re working on that right now, sitting down with various groups, listening to what they think is important what is […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Judge rejects ‘stand your ground’ defense in Ped Mall shooting
On Tuesday, a judge ruled that Lamar Wilson is not entitled to immunity under Iowa’s “stand your ground” law for his actions in the Aug. 27 shooting on Iowa City’s Ped Mall.
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa House kills attempt to reduce the penalty for first-time marijuana possession
On Wednesday, a committee in the Iowa House of Representatives killed a proposal to make first-time possession of small amounts of marijuana a simple misdemeanor.
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa’s ‘stand your ground’ law will be tested following the jury verdict in the 2017 Ped Mall shooting
In a typical criminal trial, the announcement of the jury’s verdict is the most important moment. But the trial of Lamar Wilson for the deadly Aug. 27 shooting on Iowa City’s Ped Mall will be an exception. Because a post-conviction hearing will be the first test of Iowa’s “stand your ground” (SYG) law.
Posted inCommunity/News
Public forum on reentry after incarceration at the Coralville Library this week
The forum will include informational displays, guest speakers and breakout discussions around topics like housing, employment, education and training, substance abuse, mental health, personal growth and community integration, probation and parole. The event is free and open to the public.
