Defense attacks investigation into Cordova man's death


Share
Originally Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2013, 10:07 pm
Last Updated: Jan. 25, 2013, 11:56 am
Comment on this story | Print this story | Email this story
By Vanessa Miller, The Gazette

IOWA CITY — The man who called 911 on Oct. 8, 2009, after finding John Versypt, of Cordova, gasping for air in an Iowa City condominium building said Justin Marshall seemed to have knowledge about the shooting.

Andrew Shepard, who lived in the Broadway Condominiums where the fatal shooting took place, testified on Thursday in Marshall's murder trial that he agreed to wear a wire for investigators. Shepard said when he was talking with Marshall and Marshall's co-defendant Charles Thompson while wearing the wire, they discussed the crime and the victim's injuries.

During that conversation, Shepard testified, "Justin said he had been shot in the head." Shepard said that at the time, the location of the gunshot wounds was new information to him.

When Shepard described the type of gun he saw near the body, he testified that Marshall said, "I had a gun just like that."

Shepard also testified that what Marshall said about the shooting, "It might have been a conflict gone wrong."

The 16 jurors hearing Marshall's first-degree murder trial, which started on Tuesday and is expected to last 10 days, listened to their first full day of testimony on Thursday.

Janet Versypt, John Versypt's wife, was the prosecution's first witness. They also called several witnesses, including Shepard, and a couple of police officers.

When Iowa City police officer Jeremy Bossard took the stand, defense attorney Thomas Gaul repeatedly asked him questions about the crime scene on Oct. 8. Bossard said he was the first officer on scene, but doesn't exactly remember how the scene looked when he arrived.

He did testify, however, that another officer moved Versypt's wallet between the time he arrived and the time police started taking photos. Gaul criticized that, noting that officers never got an accurate photo of the crime scene.

"Have you seen a police photo with everything in it as you first observed it?" Gaul asked.

Bossard said he hasn't.

Iowa City police officer Andrew Rich testified on Thursday that he moved the wallet — before pictures of the crime scene were taken — to find the victim's driver's license. But, Rich said, he put it back "approximately" where he found it.

More investigators and medical experts are expected to testify today.

Police have saidVersyptwas a landlord for units in the BroadwayCondominiums and was checking on his properties when he was shot inthe head during an attempted robbery.

If Marshall is convicted of first-degree murder, he faces a life sentence in prison.



















Local events heading








  Today is Wednesday, May 22, the 142nd day of 2013. There are 223 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: Large quantities of ice from LaCrosse and Lake Pepin are beingshipped on ice boats, towed by steamers to St. Louis and points below.
1888 -- 125 years ago: With the Mississippi River at 18 feet above the low water stage,Rock Island is waging a valiant fight to keep the river from flooding the entire city.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Approval has been given by the city commission for paving 45thStreet between 7th and 11th Avenues.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Herndon Wright, of East Moline, has won the discus-throw title, by aheave of more than 140 feet, to set a new high school record at Champaign.
1963 -- 50 years ago: With the Selective Service Law recently extended by Congress forfour more years, Mrs. Hazel Doris reminded young men that they must register withinfive days after attaining their 18th birthday.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Over 500 Quad-Cities area retired volunteers were honoredrecently for their community services at a Retired Senior Volunteer Program luncheonat Palmer Auditorium in Davenport. Guest speaker, William Moffitt, director of productengineering of Deere & Co., spoke about leadership and stressed the importance ofcommunity volunteers.




(More History)