116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Replay: Keith Elson Jr. kidnapping trial
Oct. 25, 2011 11:25 am, Updated: Feb. 18, 2022 12:22 pm
The state continues its case at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Keith Elson Jr. kidnapping trial in Linn County District Court.
Elson Jr., 54, is accused of kidnapping Amanda Daniel, 19, at knife point from a Kwik Shop May 17, 2010. Daniel, found more than seven hours later, told police Elson also raped her during the abduction. Elson, charged with first-degree kidnapping, faces life in prison if convicted.
Follow reporter Trish Mehaffey's live blog from the courtroom. The trial is expected to last all week.
Replay Monday's live trial coverage, and read the story about Monday's testimony.
Elson plans to claim diminished capacity and intoxication as his defense. The defense won't dispute the kidnapping, only that it happened because Elson was heavily intoxicated.
Elson's sister, Vicki Hochstetler, told SourceMedia in July 2010 that Elson was high on drugs when the incident happened. She claimed he was high on crack cocaine and has threatened to take his own life.
Keith Elson tears up and looks away from the video monitor as surveillance video is played during his bench trial at the Linn County Courthouse on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Elson, 54, is charged with first-degree kidnapping and if convicted, faces life in prison. Elson is accused of kidnapping Amanda Daniel, 19, at knife point from the Kwik Shop, 1001 1st Avenue SW, on May 17, 2010. Daniel told police Elson also raped her during the kidnapping. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Daily Newsletters