Trial begins in slaying of Iowa high school coach; defense says suspect saw victim as Satan
By APFriday, February 12, 2010
Trial begins in slaying of Iowa high school coach
ALLISON, Iowa — Attorneys have opened the murder trial of a former football player accused of killing his high school coach by concurring on the facts of the case.
Prosecution and defense attorneys agreed Friday in their opening statements that 24-year-old Mark Becker killed Aplington-Parkersburg High School coach Ed Thomas in June.
But Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown says Becker made a conscious decision to kill Thomas when he shot him five times with one of his parents’ .22-caliber revolvers.
Public defender Derek Jones says evidence will show Becker was schizophrenic and believed Thomas was Satan and could turn people into animals.
Becker has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Two prosecution witnesses have testified they saw Becker shoot Thomas.
