House looks to keep drunk drivers in jail during appeal

Those convicted of vehicular homicide would no longer be able to go free on bond while they appeal their conviction under a bill which cleared the Iowa House yesterday. The bill was spurred by a Cedar Rapids case in which a man driving over 100 miles an hour killed two children who were walking door-to-door selling candy. Jeremy Atwood has appealed that conviction and posted a bond in order to remain free rather than start serving time in prison. Representative Steve Sukup, a republican from Dougherty, says that’s wrong. Sukup says while Atwood was sentenced on April 10th of last year to two 10-year prison sentences, Atwood hasn’t spent a day in jail because he’s appealing the case and is free on bond. But Representative Jack Holveck, a democrat from Des Moines, said it was wrong to keep a possiblyinnocent person in jail while they’re appealing their conviction. The bill passed on an 85 to 17 vote. It goes to the Senate forconsideration.