Jamal Dean
The man accused of trying to kill a Sioux City police officer is fighting his extradition back to Iowa.
Twenty-one-year-old Jamal Dean of Sioux City is being held in the Kleberg County Jail in Texas on a warrant for attempted murder after police say he shot at officer Kevin McCormick during a routine traffic stop for a seatbelt violation.
Woodbury County Sheriff, Dave Drew, says with Dean refusing to waive extradition, the process will now play out in court.
“Mr. Dean will have a later court date and he can change his mind and go ahead and sign the waiver for extradition…and then we would have 10 days to come and get him,” Drew says.
“If he continues to fight extradition, then we have to get a warrant from the governor for extradition and that could take up to 90 days. I would not anticipate coming from the governor’s office that it would take up to 90 days.” Woodbury County deputies will have to go to Texas and bring Dean back once the extradition process plays out.
“It’s 19-hundred miles one way I believe, so it’s a considerable drive, but that’s not out of the realm of things,” Drew says. He says it is possible they could fly Dean back to Iowa, but he says he won’t reveal all the details of the trip for security reasons.
Police believe Dean was attempting to get to Mexico when he was arrested in Texas. Officer McCormick was hit in the forehead with a bullet, but is recovering quickly and says he is anxious to get back to work.
By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City