IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR A PLYMOUTH COUNTY JURY TO DECIDE THE FATE OF A MERRILL, IOWA MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND 5 OTHER COUNTS.
THE JURY DELIBERATED FOR AROUND AN HOUR TUESDAY BEFORE FINDING 84-YEAR-OLD THOMAS KNAPP GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS TOOK PLACE TUESDAY MORNING IN THE TRIAL OF KNAPP, WHO WAS ALSO FOUND GUILTY OF TWO COUNTS EACH OF WILLFUL INJURY AND DOMESTIC ABUSE.
PROSECUTOR DARIN RAYMOND REPLAYED THE TWO 9-1-1 CALLS KNAPP’S WIFE DARLENE MADE IN MAY OF 2020 WHEN KNAPP SHOT HIS STEP SON, 51-YEAR-OLD KEVIN JUZEK AND FOUGHT WITH HIS WIFE.
KNAPP4 OC…PHONE WITH ME. :19
RAYMOND ALSO REPLAYED A 30 MINUTE LONG POLICE INTERVIEW WITH KNAPP AFTER HIS ARREST AS PART OF HIS CLOSING ARGUMENTS. WHERE KNAPP ADMITTED SHOOTING JUZEK BECAUSE HE WAS MAD AT HIM FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, INCLUDING JUZEK SUPPOSEDLY KNOCKING OVER A BIRDBATH IN THE YARD:
KNAPP5 OC. DAMN DOOR. :10
THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TOLD THE JURY IN THEIR CLOSINGS THAT KNAPP SHOT JUZEK IN A FIT OF A RAGE, AND SHOULD BE FOUND GUILTY ONLY OF VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.
KNAPP FACES A MANDATORY SENTENCE OF LIFE IN PRISON WHEN HE IS SENTENCED OCTOBER 7TH.
UPDATED 2:38PM, 5:28 P.M. 9/13/22
