Webster County District Court Judge Angela Doyle declared a mistrial Wednesday in the murder trial of 31-year-old Mark Russell until he can be evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial.
Russell is accused of beating 45-year-old Angela McLeod to death with a golf club in a Fort Dodge home in January of 2020 following a fight. McLeod’s daughter-in-law Amber McLeod says this extends what has already been an agonizing time of waiting.
“The legal system has completely failed our family so far. For the past two and a half years we have had to deal with the sleepless nights anxiety rage nightmares and so much more,” McCleod says. She says Russell has used every avenue he could to delay the trial.
“The numerous tactics of being able to manipulate and exploit the system on his part only causes so much more pain to our family,” she says. McCleod says the family is thankful for the help from county attorney and others for getting through the constant delays.
(By Brooke Bickford, KFVD, Fort Dodge)