The Iowa Supreme Court today (Friday), affirmed a District Court ruling in the case of a man who committed a 2002 home invasion in Taylor County and was sentenced to 25-years in prison for Burglary and Attempted Murder.  An attorney for Jarrod Dale Majors had argued on behalf of his client, that the district court on remand of its sentence, abused its discretion in failing to follow the supreme court’s mandate, when it imposed the mandatory minimum 17 1/2-year sentence before Majors is eligible for parole. Majors further contends his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to present expert testimony. Upon review, the Supreme Court determined the district court did not abuse its discretion by imposing the mandatory minimum after considering the youth sentencing factors under case law. They determined the sentence is supported by testimony from the State’s expert. In their Opinion, the Court said Majors personally chose not to retain a defense expert, and that his counsel was not constitutionally ineffective for relying on cross-examination of the State’s expert without retaining a defense expert that his client chose to forgo.

Majors was 17-years old, just days away from his 18th birthday, and a high school senior. He was obsessed with a 30-year old woman who lived across the street from him, in Bedford. One evening in May 2002 when the neighbors were gone from their home, Majors decided to enter the home and wait for them to return. He wore a ski mask and gloves and attached a large knife to his waistband. He put duct tape on his wrist and carried a .22 caliber rifle with a plastic soda bottle taped to the barrel. He hid in the closet of the master bedroom and waited for the family to return. When the woman entered the bedroom, Majors emerged and attacked her. She fought him off, her husband quickly intervened, and Majors was subdued. Police promptly arrived. The family, including the children, were terrified, but no serious physical injuries were inflicted.

Majors told police he was paid $100 to commit the crime as a prank. He later said he was hallucinating at the time and could not recall committing the crime due to drug use and lack of sleep for a prolonged period of time. He also believed the neighbors had planned to attack him. Majors had no prior criminal record other than a single offense for possession of alcohol as a minor.

The full court opinion can be found here: https://www.iowacourts.gov/courtcases/8505/embed/SupremeCourtOpinion

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man is awaiting sentencing for drunkenly firing a rifle and wounding a woman inside her home instead of a deer he’d hoped to kill. Court records say 35-year-old Lee Ryals, of Ottumwa, pleaded guilty Wednesday. Authorities say 73-year-old Janet Wright was cleaning her stove on Jan. 4 last year near Ottumwa, when she heard a loud noise and felt pain in the back of her head. Wright drove herself to a hospital, where doctors removed a bullet.

Authorities say Ryals was drunk when he pulled the trigger on the deck of a camper where he’d been staying. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29th.

The Audubon County Engineer & Secondary Roads Department reports the intersection of Mockingbird Ave. and 265th street will be closed to thru traffic for Multiple bridge replacements, beginning Monday, March 9th. Weather permitting work will wrap-up on June 1st. Until then, the intersection at Mockingbird Ave. and 265th Street, will remain closed. (See a map of the area below)

(click on the map to enlarge the image)