The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld a northeast Iowa man’s murder conviction. Montez Caples of Waterloo admitted to luring 34-year-old Robert Shannon of Parkersburg into a car where he shot him in the back of the neck in 2011. He said he was forced to kill Shannon by another man.

Caples was found guilty of first-degree murder, but appealed the conviction, saying evidence that he and Shannon were members of rival gangs should not have been allowed at the trial. He also said an interview with police where he confessed to the shooting should not have been allowed.

The Court of Appeals says the evidence of Caples’ gang involvement, and his confession were both properly used in the trial and the verdict, and his life sentence should stand.

See the full ruling here: Caples ruling PDF