Murder trial for 20-year-old Alex Jackson, accused of killing his parents and sister, set for next year

CEDAR RAPIDS — A 20-year-old University of Iowa sophomore accused of killing his parents and sister last month pleaded not guilty and his trial is set for January in Linn County District Court.

Alexander Jackson, who graduated from Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of fatally shooting his father, Jan Jackson, 61; mother, Melissa Jackson, 68; and sister, Sabrina Jackson, 19, on June 15.

Jackson filed his written plea of not guilty last week, and his trial is set for Jan. 25.

Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson ruled last week that prosecutors can obtain Jackson’s medical records and statements he made to emergency responders and hospital staff while being treated for a gunshot wound to his foot.

Prosecutors asked the court for subpoenas to obtain all records and audio and video recordings from an ambulance service, Cedar Rapids Fire Department and UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital — who provided medical treatment to him that day.

Anderson granted the subpoenas and then Jackson’s defense attorneys asked the court to quash those, arguing they were privileged medical records.

During a hearing on the subpoenas, two Cedar Rapids police officers testified Jackson didn’t ask them to leave the ambulance or hospital room when he was being treated for the gunshot injury.

Prosecutors argued Jackson waived his privilege because police officers called to investigate the killings were present when he made statements related to his injuries.

Anderson, in his ruling, said neither Jackson nor medical staff asked the officers to leave. This means Jackson waived his privilege, according to an Iowa Court of Appeals ruling in a similar case.

Police were called about 8:30 a.m. to the Jackson home at 4414 Oak Leaf Ct. NE that day and found the three family members fatally shot, a criminal complaint said.

Jackson told police that he’d been awakened by the sound of gunfire and was shot in the foot as he struggled over a rifle with a masked intruder.

Investigators found no evidence of forced entry or burglary at the home, according to the criminal complaint.

They found a .22-caliber Browning semi-automatic rifle in the home that police believe is the murder weapon. Jackson said he and his father had left it on the fireplace after cleaning it the night before, the complaint said.

A prosecutor, during Jackson’s initial court appearance, said Jackson “concocted” the story of an intruder to cover up the “execution” of his family.

Jackson remains in jail on a $3 million cash-only bail.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com