Trial of Tama County man accused of stabbing wife to start Sept. 21

TAMA - The retrial of a Tama County man charged in the fatal stabbing of his wife last year will start Sept. 21, lawyers confirmed during a Friday court hearing.

Dustin Jefferson, 39, will stand trial in Tama County District Court on first-degree murder charges. He is accused of helping his mother, Ginger Jefferson, 57, stab and kill his wife, Kerry O'Clair-Jefferson, 32, on Sept. 25, 2013.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Mary Chicchelly said she was calling two panels of nearly 100 Tama County residents as a jury pool. Dustin Jefferson's last trial ended in a mistrial because the defense claimed the jury lacked Native Americans and wasn't a jury of Jefferson's peers, who is Meskwaki.

Chicchelly said she would inform the clerks to call anybody who doesn't show up for jury duty. In December 2014, at Jefferson's first trial, a number of potential jurors did not show up for jury duty.

Attorneys said the trial would likely last 10 days, including jury selection.

Ginger Jefferson, was convicted in May 2014 of stabbing O'Clair-Jefferson twice in the neck, severing her jugular and penetrating her esophagus, which was the cause of death, according to testimony.

Ginger Jefferson was arguing with O'Clair-Jefferson after O'Clair-Jefferson had told police of Dustin's whereabouts. Police had a warrant for his arrest on a sex abuse charge. Witnesses also testified Dustin Jefferson was at the house that day and had blood on his clothing, which matched O'Clair-Jefferson's blood.