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Donahue live coverage: Closing arguments

Feb. 20, 2023 9:30 am
CEDAR RAPIDS — Closing arguments are expected to start Monday in the trial for a Chicago man accused of robbing the Casey’s store in Coggon and shooting a Linn County Sheriff’s deputy seven times who responded to the alarm June 20, 2021.
Stanley Donahue, 38, is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, attempted murder of a peace officer, two counts of false imprisonment, willful injury, attempt to elude, disarming a peace officer, trafficking in stolen weapons and possession of a firearm as a felon.
The defense is expected to rest Monday morning and Donahue will not testify. He confirmed that decision Friday outside the presence of the jury.
The jury will start deliberations as soon as closings are finished.
An Arkansas psychology professor testified Friday for the defense about eyewitness reliability.
According to testimony, Donahue, during the robbery, forced two clerks into a cooler and stealing about $300 in cash, 89 packs of cigarettes, numerous car charges, gift cards and personal belongings of the employees.
After shooting Halverson, Donahue took the deputy’s service Glock and fled in a minivan, but was captured after an overnight 14-hour search that involved drones and police dogs. The search ended when a TV news crew spotted him walking along Aldridge Road, near Coggon and notified authorities.
If Donahue is convicted of all 10 charges, he faces up to 112 years in prison with a mandatory 65 years to serve before being eligible for parole.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
Linn County Sheriff's Dep. William Halverson testifies to the challenges he faced while recovering from multiple gunshot wounds, on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at the Linn County District Court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Defendant Stanley L. Donahue, 38, is accused of robbing a Casey's in Coggon June 20, 2021, and faces multiple charges, including attempted murder of a peace officer and two counts of first-degree robbery.(Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)