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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
After pandemic spike, Linn County prosecution rate for violent crimes drops
County is following national trend of violent crimes declining
May. 28, 2024 5:30 am
CEDAR RAPIDS — Violent crime rates significantly have decreased in Linn County for the first time since a spike after the pandemic began, and prosecutors will have filed about 25 percent fewer felonies and 9 percent fewer indictable misdemeanors by the time fiscal 2024 ends June 30.
Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said the county seems to be following the national downward trend as prosecution rates have decreased by double digits for homicides and attempted murder, willful injury, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, sexual abuse and related offenses, kidnapping and related offenses, robbery, burglary and child endangerment.
Assaults and related offenses also have dropped, but only by 5 percent since fiscal 2022, according to statistics compiled by the Linn County Attorney’s Office.
The national trend has shown violent crimes on the decline since 2021, and they dropped again in 2023, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The nonpartisan law and policy institute used data from the Council on Criminal Justice, an independent think tank, which found the number of homicides declined by 10 percent nationally in 2023.
The center also cited a downward trend in the number of murders in the largest U.S. cities, including Philadelphia and Baltimore, which each had about a 20 percent drop, and New York City, which had about a 11 percent decline in 2023 compared with 2022.
The FBI preliminary quarterly crime data released in March also showed the number of murders nationwide down 13.2 percent and violent crime down 5.7 percent between 2022 and 2023.
On the local level, Maybanks credited the dedication of local law enforcement, prosecutors and community partners addressing gun violence for the decreases, but noted multiple factors contribute to crime rates.
“I’ve always contended that despair is the biggest contributor to crime,” Maybanks said. “Emerging from the pandemic and all the subsequent challenges that it brought, the people of this community have demonstrated that they are resilient.”
Maybanks pointed out his team successfully convicted all eight homicide defendants in trials that went to court in the four months of this year, with dates of the crimes ranging from 2007 to 2023. The convictions occurred while the office was down two prosecutors — one who retired and one was appointed as a judge. There typically are five felony prosecutors and himself on the staff.
The nearly back-to-back trials started in mid-January and the last one received a verdict May 6.
“I’ve been with this office for nearly 25 years, and I’ve never experienced a stretch of trials, verdicts or pleas quite like this,” Maybanks said. “It’s phenomenal. I’d put this team of prosecutors up against any in the state, or the nation, for that matter.”
Homicide trials and pleas in four months:
- Kazius Childress, 22, of Cedar Rapids: In the midst of his trial, he pleaded guilty Jan. 23 to second-degree murder for fatally shooting Cordal Lewis, 19, on Jan. 27, 2022, and was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by Maybanks and assistant prosecutor Jennifer Erger.
- Brannon Johnson, 22, of Cedar Rapids: A jury convicted him of second-degree murder on March 6 for fatally shooting Jorge Maldonado-Vazquez, 27, on Feb. 15, 2023. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter and assistant prosecutor Alex Anderson.
- Duval T. Walker Jr., 30, of Cedar Rapids: A jury convicted him of first-degree murder on March 13 in the fatal shooting of Cameron Barnes, 33, of Cedar Rapids, on March 17, 2023. The case was prosecuted by assistant prosecutors Andrew Powers and Heidi Weiland. Walker’s sentencing hearing is set for July 5.
- George Deason, 53, of Cedar Rapids: Judge Sean McPartland convicted him in March following a bench trial for second-degree murder in the fatal assault of Elsie Deason, 71, on June 30 or July 1, 2020. The case was prosecuted by Powers and Katherine Shimkat. Sentencing is set for June 3.
- Kyle Kubite, 45, of Cedar Rapids: He pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle/operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and leaving scene of accident resulting in the death of Bonnie Stover, 59, on Nov. 12, 2023. He was sentenced in March to 25 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by Slaughter.
- Keyun McGowan, 18, of Marion: A jury convicted him first-degree murder on March 25 in the fatal shooting of Cristian Upah, 17, on May 10, 2023. The case was prosecuted by assistant prosecutors Jordan Schier, also head of the Criminal Division, and Anderson. McGowan was sentenced Friday to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
- Shane Teslik, 38, of Cedar Rapids: A jury convicted him of voluntary manslaughter on April 8 for fatally stabbing Devonna Walker, 29, of Cedar Rapids, on Jan. 2, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Slaughter and Maybanks. Sentencing is set for June 7.
- Curtis Padgett, 42, of Cedar Rapids: Judge Ian Thornhill convicted him May 6 of first-degree murder following a bench trial in the fatal stabbing of Dennis First, 64, on May 11, 2007. The case was prosecuted by assistant prosecutors Molly Edwards and Erger. Sentencing is set for July 9.
“These cases involved residents of this community who tragically and unjustly lost their lives,” Maybanks said. “We told their stories and we helped write justice into the final chapters.”
While the downward turn is positive, Maybanks note the County Attorney’s Office still have more homicide prosecutions to come this year. There are 18 murder and vehicular homicide trials set for next seven months, although some may get rescheduled.
Some of these trials have more than one defendant involved in the same fatal incident and are being tried separately.
The case load of the five assistant prosecutors and Maybanks, who carries a smaller load while also balancing other duties of the office, remained significantly high from fiscal 2021 through 2023.
In 2023, the office filed 85 felonies per month and each prosecutor carried an average of 194 cases.
In fiscal 2024, the office has filed an average of 70 felonies per month and each prosecutor has an average caseload of 160 — which is down, but still higher than the 150-caseload recommendation by the American Bar Association, Maybanks said.
“We’re getting there, but presuming this is the new normal, we are still overwhelmed, just less than the last couple of years,” he added.
The Linn County Attorney’s Office has 19 criminal, civil and juvenile assistant county attorneys and 20 full-time support staff, including three victim/witness professionals and an investigator.
Two new assistant prosecutors have accepted positions to join the office this summer, which puts it back to be fully staffed by Aug. 1.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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