Peers honor Linn County prosecutor for taking on challenging cases

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Linn County prosecutor, who has argued some tough and complex cases, including child abuse and first-degree murder, has received a statewide award of merit for his 'distinguished record of accomplishments, dedication and commitment.”

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks received the 2015 Iowa County Attorneys Association Staff Attorney Award of Merit earlier this week. The award is given each year to one assistant in the state during the association's fall conference, which was held in Cedar Rapids this year.

Maybanks, 40, has been an assistant county attorney since graduating from Drake University Law School in 2000. He was appointed first assistant in 2010.

AWard was a surprise

Maybanks had no idea Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden had nominated him for the award. Vander Sanden lured him to the award luncheon by saying he needed Maybanks' vote for his bid to become the association's secretary/treasurer.

'I was surprised,” Maybanks said. 'And then as I sat there hearing these accomplishments, I felt privileged to do what I do. I get to help people through the most tragic and devastating days of their life.”

Vander Sanden nominated Maybanks based on his 'body of work,” including two 'noteworthy” convictions in two separate trials involving the abuse and death of 17-month-old Kamryn Schlitter in 2010.

Cases hit ‘close to home'

Kamryn's father, Zyriah Schlitter, and his former girlfriend, Amy Parmer, were convicted in 2013 and 2014 of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in Kamryn's death. Each is serving 50 years in prison.

Both trials were the 'most challenging and complicated prosecutions ever initiated by the office,” Vander Sanden said. Both cases involved complex legal issues and expert testimony from more than 12 medical doctors.

'Justice was done in these cases because of Nick's meticulous trial preparation, legal advocacy and perseverance in the pursuit of justice,” Vander Sanden said.

Maybanks said those cases hit 'close to home” because he has two young daughters, and his youngest was born in 2010, the year Kamryn died.

That case and one involving the death of 2-year-old Skylar Inman in 2008 are always with him, Maybanks said.

The Parmer trial, Maybanks said, reminds him to be grateful every day for his children.

Determined to get Justice

Vander Sanden also cited Maybanks' prosecution of a sex offender, James Olds, 46, of Marion, and of six defendants involved in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Latasha Roundtree in Cedar Rapids.

In the Olds case, Vander Sanden said, Maybanks never gave up, even though the defense attorney's pretrial tactics delayed the trial for three years.

By the time the case got to court, the young victim couldn't remember the abuse, Vander Sanden said. Maybanks, however, argued the defense delays were behind the child's memory loss, and the judge allowed Maybanks to play the original videotaped interview with the child at trial. Olds was convicted.

In the Roundtree case, Maybanks not only secured a first-degree murder conviction against the man who pulled the trigger, Tajh Ross, 21, but also obtained convictions of five co-defendants involved in the 2012 shooting.

Maybanks credited the support staff in his office, along with the police, first responders, social workers, nurses and doctors who help him build strong cases that end in convictions.