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Davenport man accused of killing 10-year-old stands trial
Accused killer of Breasia Terrell opts for bench trial, not a Linn County jury trial
The trial of the Davenport man accused of kidnapping and murdering 10-year-old Breasia Terrell will start Thursday in Scott County.
Henry Earl Dinkins waived his right to a jury trial Tuesday, opting to have his case heard in front of judge only. The trial is slated to start at 9 a.m.
The trial had been moved from Scott County to the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids after the Iowa Supreme Court last year granted a change of venue. Jury selection began Tuesday, but potential jurors were dismissed after Dinkins' attorneys announced his decision.
Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham leads the prosecution, while Dinkins is represented by Chad Frese and Joel Waters.
District Court Judge Henry Latham ruled Tuesday that Dinkins' trial can be held in Scott County since he will not face a jury. The prosecution and the defense offered no objection to the move.
Breasia was reported missing July 10, 2020, after spending the night with her younger brother at the apartment of his father — Dinkins. He immediately became a “person of interest” of authorities investigating Breasia’s disappearance.
On March 22, 2021, two fishermen found human remains in a nearly hidden pond 3 miles north of DeWitt. The next day, investigators from the state Division of Criminal Investigation finished removing the remains from the pond.
Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski confirmed on March 31, 2021, that the remains were those of Breasia. Dinkins was charged with her murder on May 5, 2021.
Dinkins has been in one jail or another since July 10, 2020, when Breasia was reported missing. First arrested for violations of the sex offender registry, Dinkins was held in the Scott County Jail before being moved to the Clinton County Jail. On April 12, 2022, he was moved to Marshall County Jail to be closer to his attorney.
On Oct. 7, 2022, Judge Latham granted a request to delay the trial filed by Dinkins’ attorney Frese in order to “allow them adequate time to prepare.” But on Dec. 9, 2022, Latham scheduled Dinkins’ trial to begin this week.
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