Iowa Judicial Building.
The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld a central Iowa man’s appeal of his murder conviction on a couple of issues.
Rodney Henricksen of Johnston was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Joshua Sadlon of Wisconsin during a bar fight in Urbandale in 2018. He appealed saying he should have been able to use the state’s “stand your ground” law as he was threatened by Sadlon.
He also said the testimony of a lip reader, who said she saw him say he wanted to beat Sadlon on the bar’s video, should not have been allowed.
The Appeals Court says there is substantial proof supporting the jury’s finding Henricksen’s self-defense justification was unfounded. And it said the video was clear enough to allow the lip reader to give an accurate description of what was said between the two men.
Here’s the ruling: Henricksen ruling PDF