Iowa City murder suspect seeks another trial delay

The first-degree murder trial of one of three men arrested in connection with the 2009 shooting death of Iowa City landlord John Versypt has asked to delay the proceedings – again.

Justin Marshall's case was scheduled to go before a jury on Sept. 18. But he filed a motion this week asking the trial be postponed, and a hearing to discuss that request has been set for Monday morning.

If a judge agrees to reset the trail, it will be the third time the case has been postponed from its original trial date, which was Jan. 17.

Marshall, 21, earlier this month also made an oral motion asking for a new attorney. On Aug. 3, Marshall argued that his current attorney “is not sufficiently competent to represent him in connection with these proceedings, and that he deserves better counsel,” according to a judge's ruling.

Marshall told the court that he has been “told false things” and has not seen evidence and documents connected with the case, according to the ruling. He said he wants to have a list of witnesses in his case and copies of their statements, and his attorney Thomas Gaul said he'll try to communicate with Marshall more often.

Marshall, who was being represented last year by Steven Addington, asked for a new attorney on Sept. 30, 2011, and Gaul took over his case. District Court Judge Sean McPartland, responding to Marshall's most recent request for a new attorney, denied the motion, asserting in a writing ruling that Gaul is willing to address Murshall's concerns.

“The court notes that the trial in this matter has been previously continued, and further delay of resolution of this matter is to be avoided,” according to the ruling.

Marshall is accused of killing Versypt, 64, of Cordova, Ill., on Oct. 8, 2009, as the landlord checked in on his condominiums in south Iowa City. Versypt, according to police, was fatally shot in the head and hand during an attempted robbery while he was working on one of his units in the Broadway Condominiums.

Charles Thompson, 20, of Iowa City, was the first of three suspects to be arrested in connection with the slaying. He was charged with first-degree murder and was being tried on that charge in September when a judge granted a mistrial after prosecutors played a portion of a tape that had been ruled inadmissible.

Thompson was set for a new trial in December when he pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact, an aggravated misdemeanor. As part of his plea deal, Thompson agreed to testify against Marshall at trial and to stay in jail until after his sentencing.

Thompson's sentencing has been postponed once already because prosecutors want him to testify before sentencing him on the accessory charge. Another trial delay could mean another delay in Thompson's sentencing.

A third co-defendant, Courtney White, 23, of Coralville, was arrested in October on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the case. His trial is scheduled for Jan. 8.

If convicted, Marshall and White face mandatory life sentences in prison.