Articles Tagged: Linn County Attorney’s Office

Prosecutors dismiss voluntary manslaughter charge against Cedar Rapids man who fatally shot another in his home during a fight. Iowa’s “Stand your ground” law was determining factor.

Two prosecutors running for county attorneys in Linn and Johnson counties followed similar paths, taking on the toughest cases, in preparing themselves to lead the offices. Both Democrats run unopposed Nov. 8.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks and Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner encouraged Iowans to vote no on the proposed gun rights amendment that will be on the November ballot.

A judge declared a mistrial this week after police officers, who were witnesses, recognized a juror as having associates connected to the defendant. The juror hadn’t revealed that during jury selection and also underreported her criminal history. She also posted on Facebook that she was on jury duty and wouldn’t convict “whoever” was on trial.

A Cedar Rapids man was sentenced to three years probation after firing multiple shots at another man during a fight last year. Originally charged with attempted murder, he pleaded to two gun-related charges.

An Oelwein man who testified against a meth dealer was brutally beaten in the Linn County Jail 12 days before the trial by convicted murderer Drew Blahnik and another cellmate. Federal and state authorities are investigating

Anastasia Basquin, the county’s chief victim liasison, proposed that sexual assault defendants go before a magistrate before making bail, so a no-contact order could be issued protecting the victim.

Iowa has no extreme risk protection order law, wherein law enforcement, family members or others can seek a court order to temporarily prevent someone deemed a threat from buying or possessing firearms.

County attorney’s office opened 164 truancy cases in past year, successfully resolving 56 of the cases.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Matt Kishinami is recognized for work on child abuse cases by the Iowa Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks gives the first-year review of the marijuana diversion program. Of 114 participants, 50 didn’t complete it, 36 are still working on it and 28 successfully completed the program and had their arrests expunged.

The three proposed bills by the Iowa County Attorneys Association will close “loopholes” in existing laws and provide more protection for adult and child sex abuse victims, Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said.

A Cedar Rapids man failed to appear last week on a charge of threatening a Linn County prosecutor because he was upset that his friend was convicted for killing Chris Bagley in 2018.

According to the complaint, Green shot at Jackson in the 800 block of Sixth Street SW “with the intent to cause the death of another person.”

Nick Maybanks announces his run as the next elected Linn County attorney to lead the office. He was appointed by the Board of Xupervisors earlier this month to finish out Jerry Vander Sanden’s term, which ends in December. The top prosecutor is an elected position and will be on the November ballot.