Milo Farmer, Rodney Heemstra's troubles aren't over yet. After spending four years and four months in the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility for the murder of his neighbour Tom Lyon, he was released last month only to have to face a civil trial from Lyon's widow.
Ronda Lyon has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Heemstra for the second time after an earlier civil trial in a Warren County court that resulted in Ronda being awarded $11.5 million in damages, was overturned by a three judge panel of the Iowa Supreme Court.
The non- jury trial in Polk County District Court is expected to last six days and is being presided over by District Judge Michael Huppert.
An earlier jury trial has already convicted Heemstra of voluntary manslaughter and when called to the witness stand, Heemstra was forced to repeat his earlier confessions by Lyon's attorney, Donald Beattie. His own attorney, Joseph Hrvol made no effort to argue his client's innocence instead he tried to prove that the murder was an accident that resulted after several confrontations between the two farmers and that Tom Lyon provoked Heemstra.
Information from: www.desmoinesregister.com
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