Cedar Rapids man pleads to lesser charge in beating death of a Wellington Heights man

Cynthia Vaughn, tearing up, said she feels as if she's coming “out of the dark,” after Jason Blackcloud, who beat to death her brother in 2008, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday in Linn County District Court.

“The feeling I've been carrying all this time……I can get relief from today,” Vaughn said clutching her hand to her chest.

Blackcloud, 36, of Cedar Rapids, originally charged with first-degree murder, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of Jerry Hurt, 46, as part of plea agreement.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of contraband at a correctional facility. Blackcloud had a sharpened metal rod in his jail cell Aug. 14, 2009, while in custody for Hurt's death.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Robert Sosalla sentenced Blackcloud to 10 years for the manslaughter charge and 10 years for the contraband charge, which will run consecutively for a total of 20 years.

Besler said during the hearing that Blackcloud would have to serve five years before being eligible for parole because voluntary manslaughter is a forcible felony.

Blackcloud admitted he was riding his bicycle and started circling Hurt, who was walking along 14th Avenue SE on Aug. 26, 2008. He then beat him with a wooden post.

There was speculation about a dispute between Hurt and Blackcloud but both Victoria Cole, Blackcloud's attorney,  or Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Besler declined to comment about it.

Cole did say it had nothing to do with money or a robbery as Vaughn said during a Gazette interview in 2008.

Vaughn gave limited comments and declined to talk about the incident or take questions from the media.

Both attorneys said the plea taking place on the two year anniversary of Hurt's death was coincidence.

“I hope maybe it brought some solace to the family today,” Besler said.

Besler said he offered the plea agreement because it was the “fair and just thing to do.” There were some problems with the case because nobody could identify Blackcloud as being the attacker. They could identify the attacker's clothing and that he was riding a bike but couldn't point to Blackcloud as that man, he said.

Cole said she and co-counsel John Hammond assessed the case and found this was the best resolve for Blackcloud.

“He is sorry for Hurt's death,” Cole said.

Blackcloud only quickly said in a low tone “I'm sorry” when asked if he wanted to say anything before sentencing.