Judge will allow evidence from warrantless entry at Jonathan Youngbear's murder trial  

A federal magistrate denied a motion to suppress a police interview of Jonathan Curtis Youngbear and evidence from an initial search of a house on the Meskwaki Settlement where Youngbear is accused of killing a man last February.

U.S. Magistrate Jon Scoles said in his ruling that Youngbear understood his rights in agreeing to talk with investigators about the stabbing death and the warrantless entry of the house made by police officers Feb. 24, was lawful and supported by probable cause and exigent circumstances.

According to the defense's motion, Youngbear was still intoxicated when police interviewed him six hours after arrest and police violated his rights because they didn't stop the interview when he asked. The motion also asked the court to toss out any evidence from the initial search because police didn't have a warrant. The motion claimed police lacked information to search and acted solely on the basis of a 911 call.

Youngbear, 20, charged with first-degree murder, is accused of stabbing Severn D. Jefferson, 17, in the upper chest and neck area while they were in his home on the Tama settlement. According to testimony during a preliminary hearing, Youngbear's cousin, Joseph Youngbear, told police that Jonathan Youngbear and Jefferson got into an argument and Jonathan Youngbear stabbed Jefferson. They had been smoking methamphetamine and drinking that day and the day before, according to testimony. In a previous hearing in November, police officers and investigators testified about the initial entry into the home and the police interview.

Investigators testified at the November hearing that Youngbear wasn't intoxicated when they interviewed him six hours later and he understood his rights and agreed to talk with them.

Officers who made the initial entry into the house testified at the same hearing they made the initial search after receiving two 911 calls about the stabbing and when they arrived at the house Youngbear came out with bloody hands and left bloody footprints in the snow. Officers said they also had information there were firearms in the house and Youngbear told them one or two people were still inside. Officers entered the house, saw Jefferson lying in the hallway, allowed medical personnel inside and then stayed outside the house until they received a search warrant. 

Scoles did grant one exception in his ruling to the defense regarding the last minute of the interview, which will not be allowed at trial. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Darrell Simmons testified at the previous hearing that Youngbear said he didn't want to continue talking about 'hitting' Jefferson but agreed to talk about other things.

Scoles in the ruling said Simmons then asked about other things but in the last minute of the interrogation violated Youngbear's rights by again questioning him about the assault.

The prosecution will not be allowed to use information from that portion of the recorded interview at trial.

Youngbear's trial remains set for Feb. 23, 2015.