Ped mall shooting suspect Lamar Wilson to use 'stand your ground' defense

The man accused of carrying out a deadly shooting on the Iowa City pedestrian mall last month will use Iowa's new "stand your ground" law as a defense at his trial.

Lamar C. Wilson, 23, is facing charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the Aug. 27 shooting, which killed 22-year-old Kaleek Jones of Iowa City and sent two other men to the hospital.

An autopsy classified Jones' death as a homicide and said the cause was a gunshot wound to his back and neck. He died on the evening of Aug. 29, two days after the shooting.

In addition to the "stand your ground" defense, Wilson, of Iowa City, will also claim self-defense, defense of others, defense of property, and defense against a forcible felony, according to court documents filed Monday.

Wilson's trial has been set for Nov. 7, court records show. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Iowa's "stand your ground" legislation took effect July 1 as part of a sweeping firearms law signed by then-Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican. It states that law-abiding people do not have to retreat before using deadly force to defend themselves if they believe their life is in danger — even if they are wrong in perceiving the danger faced, as long as the belief is "reasonable."

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Wilson was carrying two guns when he was taken into custody near the scene of the shooting, which happened around 1:30 a.m. Aug. 27 on the crowded ped mall, according to Iowa City police complaints. Police said he admitted to firing several rounds at a number of people.

One of the victims was found with gunshot wounds in the ped mall walkway between the Sheraton Hotel and Martini's bar. Another victim collapsed in front of the parking ramp in front of the Sheraton, and the third was found in the ramp.

An acquaintance told police Wilson shot at the victims over an "ongoing feud," the complaints state. Police said the victims were shot at close range.

Wilson had a valid permit to carry firearms at the time of his arrest, police said.

Police have said the shooting was not random and appeared to be the result of animosity between two groups of people, some of whom are known to law enforcement. One group is from the Cedar Rapids area and the other group from Iowa City.

First-degree murder is a Class A felony punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wilson could also face up to 25 years each for two attempted murder charges and 10 years each for three charges of intimidation. He is currently being held at the Johnson County Jail on a $1.75 million bond.

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Earlier this year, a Cook County, Illinois, jury found Wilson not guilty of first-degree murder in a 2013 shooting in Homewood, Illinois.

Wilson's lawyer, John Bruzek, also filed a motion Monday accusing prosecutors of not handing over evidence as required and redacting certain evidence, making it difficult to mount a defense in the case.

By redacting certain witness information, including addresses and phone numbers, the Johnson County Attorney's Office is able to "keep tabs" on the defense by seeing what witness information they request, Bruzek says in the motion.

Wilson's defense needs access to all the evidence in order to give him a fair trial, but Bruzek states in the motion that certain information has been released through the media in a way that could affect public perceptions of the case rather than being handed over to defense attorneys.

"Select information from police reports and autopsy reports have been leaked to the media at a rampant pace — ensuring a tampered jury pool," Bruzek wrote in the motion.

Prosecutors have not filed a response to the motion.

Another man arrested in connection with the shooting, Donte R. Taylor, 21, of Cedar Rapids, pleaded not guilty last week to charges of trafficking in stolen weapons, control of a firearm by a felon and carrying weapons. If convicted on all counts, he could spend up to 12 years in prison. Taylor is currently being held at the Johnson County Jail on a $76,000 bond.

Reach Stephen Gruber-Miller at 319-887-5407 or sgrubermil@press-citizen.com. Follow him on Twitter: @sgrubermiller.