Court Martials

SL school board hearing continued (09/05/08)
Following a series of delays for professional and personal conflicts, a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the non-jury trial for Spirit Lake School Board President Beth Will and Vice President Ann Goerss is now scheduled to take place Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. in Courtroom A of the Dickinson County Courthouse...

Prather enters 'not guilty' pleas (09/03/08)
A Spencer man has entered not guilty pleas to charges associated with a fatal motorcycle crash earlier this summer. James Owen Prather was scheduled for a court appearance Tuesday but instead entered his not guilty pleas in writing. The 57-year-old Spencer man faces charges of vehicular homicide, serious injury by a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death...

Lawson: No impact on Spencer cameras (09/02/08)
DES MOINES (AP) -- The Iowa Supreme Court, in a split ruling on Friday, upheld the city of Davenport's use of traffic cameras to catch speeders and drivers who run red lights. The ruling involved the case of a man who challenged the city's ordinance, which authorized the use of cameras and sensors to catch motorists who violate traffic laws...

Payne escapes prison time in conviction (08/27/08)
Despite an emotional appeal from the victim and her mother in court Monday, Kyle Dean Payne will serve no prison sentence for his conviction on three crimes related to an incident in which he partially stripped an unconscious fellow Buena Vista University student, photographed himself fondling her body, and later installed the images and video on his computer...

Arraignment set in vehicular homicide case (08/22/08)
A Spencer man will have a chance to respond to amended charges for his possible role in a traffic fatality earlier this summer. James Owen Prather faces a charges of vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. The vehicular homicide charge is a Class B felony and carries a penalty no more than 25 years in prison...

Agriprocessors supervisor faces additional charge (08/20/08)
DES MOINES -- A supervisor arrested after a massive immigration raid at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday to charges he knowingly hired illegal immigrants, according to court filings. Juan Carlos Guerrero-Espinoza is expected to plead guilty to charges he conspired to hire illegal immigrants and aided and abetted the hiring of illegal immigrants...

Appeals court to hear cases in Okoboji (05/29/08)
A workman's compensation claim and a possible open meetings violation are on the docket as the Iowa Court of Appeals brings its process to the Iowa Great Lakes. Cases typically are heard in Des Moines, but will be moved to Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center as part of the 85th annual Lawyers' Chautauqua in Okoboji...

Judge denies bond reduction in Milford murder case (05/28/08)
Judge Patrick Carr has decided to keep the bail set at $750,000 each for three men accused of a Milford murder earlier this spring. John Allen Swan, 30, of Crossett, Ark.; Scott Thomas Adair, 29, of Crossett, Ark.; and Michael James Friedrichs, 29, of Forest City, appeared in court for a bail review hearing last Monday. Judge Carr's decision reached the Clerk of Court's office this week...

Accused murderers request bond reduction (05/20/08)
Three men accused of a Milford murder this spring await a judges' decision on bond reduction after appearing before Dickinson County Court Monday morning. John Allen Swan, 30, of Crossett, Ark.; Scott Thomas Adair, 29, of Crossett, Ark.; and Michael James Friedrichs, 29, of Forest City are being held in the Dickinson County Jail on $750,000 bond...

Raid in Postville: Authorities confirm largest work site enforcement ever (05/17/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff A total of 306 people who were detained at Agriprocessors Inc of Postville have now been arrested on criminal charges, federal prosecutors confirmed in a statement released Thursday. The 281 men and 25 women are part of a group of 389 people who were administratively arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday...

Castillo-Alvarez files appeal (05/16/08)
Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez wants the Iowa Supreme Court to take a fresh look at convictions stemming from his involvement in the death of an Estherville teenager 11 years ago. Judge Don Courtney found the former Estherville restaurant owner guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony Jan. 25 at the Palo Alto County Courthouse in Emmetsburg. The guilty verdict came after a trial that spanned parts of three days in September...

Jury selection begins for Parks vs. Okoboji trial (05/07/08)
Jury selection began Tuesday at the Dickinson County Courthouse in a civil trial involving Leo "Butch" Parks, Jr. and the City of Okoboji. Parks filed a petition in November 2005 alleging that he has been discriminated against. The basis of the discrimination case lies in a series of licensing, zoning and parking issues dealing with Park's businesses, Okoboji Boats and O'Farrell Sisters...

Deputies press King for federal grant support (05/03/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Funding for the Iowa Great Lakes Task Force was a central point of conversation Friday as U.S. Rep. Steve King met with Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow in Spencer. Krukow is concerned about cuts to the Byrne-JAG (Justice Assistance Grant) program. The grants were established in 2005 to allow states and local governments to support improvements to the criminal justice system...

Castillo-Alvarez receives 50-year sentence (04/26/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff A quiet and, at times, seemingly disinterested Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez received a 50-year prison sentence Friday for his role in the disappearance and death of a Estherville teenager almost 11 years ago. Castillo-Alvarez was the last of 10 people charged in the June 1997 plot to end 15-year-old Gregory Sky Erickson's life over an unpaid drug debt and his possible role as a police informant...

Hearing date set in Castillo-Alvarez case (04/03/08)
District Court Judge Don Courtney has set the hearing date for a former Estherville restaurant owner who was convicted for his role in the disappearance and death of an area teenager. Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez's attorney, Mike Williams, filed a motion on March 7 asking Courtney to vacate guilty verdicts on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Castillo-Alvarez wants a new trial...

Mailbox case returned to Clay County (03/25/08)
Federal authorities are going to loosen their grip on a local "MacGyver bomb" case, according to Clay County Attorney Michael Houchins. Seventeen federal felony charges of destruction of letter boxes were originally filed on Saturday, March 8, after a group of teenagers were suspected of planting explosive devices in the mailboxes in and around Spencer. Seven state felony counts of destruction of letter boxes with an explosive device also were filed...