Appeals court upholds conviction in Iowa trooper slaying

GRUNDY CENTER — The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Grundy Center man who shot and killed a state trooper in 2021 at his home after attacking a police officer.

Michael Thomas Lang said he should have been able to claim he acted in self-defense when he shot Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith in the chest with a shotgun in April 2021.

Authorities said Lang led a Grundy Center police officer on a chase and then struggled with the officer outside of town. Lang then fled home, culminating in a standoff.

  Buy Photo

Smith led a team to enter Lang’s home and detain him, but Lang shot Smith and threatened to kill other officers, taking aim at the driver of an armored vehicle. A tactical team eventually detained Lang following a shootout.

At trial, a judge refused to allow Lang to present a self-defense claim, siding with prosecutors who noted there is no right to use force to resist an arrest. A jury, deliberating just two hours, found Lang guilty after a 2022 trial.

On appeal, Lang’s attorney argued he should have been able to claim he was acting in self-defense because law enforcement was using excessive force to the point they were no longer acting in the lawful performance of their duties.

In a decision handed down Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that Lang couldn’t use the excessive force argument because he didn’t argue the issue in district court.

Lang currently is serving life in prison for first-degree murder in Smith’s death, plus an additional 30 years for attempted murder and assault on an officer for attacking other officers.