The Minnesota 17-year-old charged in the killings of two convenience store clerks in northern Iowa will have the Kossuth County portion of his trial moved to Rock Rapids.
Micheal R. Swanson is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the deaths of Vicky Bowman Hall of Burt and Sheila Myers of Humboldt last November 15th at convenience stores in Algona and Humboldt. Swanson’s attorneys of record, Charles Kenville and Joseph McCarville said the trial should be moved because media coverage has “created a high degree of prejudice” against Swanson.
Prosecutors agreed, and urged the judge to move the trial. This past Friday (5/27), the Iowa District Court ordered the transfer of the trial to Lyon County. Swanson’s bond was originally set at one million dollars. He will be tried as an adult.
The Humbolt County portion of the trial was moved to Carroll, and will begin June 20th. The Kossuth County portion will begin in Rock Rapids on July 26.
By Scott Van Aartsen, KIWA, Sheldon