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Murder charge filed in November assault case in Iowa City
Lee Hermiston
Dec. 12, 2017 11:41 am, Updated: Dec. 12, 2017 11:59 am
IOWA CITY - An Iowa City man who assaulted his father in November and fractured the man's skull has now been charged with his death.
According to Iowa City police, on Dec. 4, 63-year-old Mark A. Meier, of Iowa City died of injuries he suffered on Nov. 13 at the hands of his son, Flannery H. Kennedy-Meier, 30. On Dec. 5, the Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office determined Meier died from blunt force injury and the caused of death was homicide.
On Tuesday, the Johnson County Attorney's Office amended Kennedy-Meier's original charge of willful injury causing serious injury, a Class C felony, to first-degree murder, a Class A felony, punishable by life in prison.
Iowa City police said the assault happened at around 4:48 p.m. Nov. 13 at 1129 Hotz Ave., where Kennedy-Meier resided. Police said Kennedy-Meier - without provocation - hit his father in the head with a weapon. Meier suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed in the attack, police said.
Kennedy-Meier has pleaded not guilty to the initial charge and he's scheduled to be arraigned on the first-degree murder charge on Dec. 29. According to court records, Kennedy-Meier is represented by John Bruzek.
According to online court records, Kennedy-Meier has previous drug convictions in both Johnson and Washington counties.
Kennedy-Meier remains in custody at the Johnson County Jail and the case remains under investigation.
Meier's death marks the fourth homicide in Iowa City in 2017 and the fourth first-degree murder charge filed in those cases.
One man, 41-year-old Curtis C. Jones, has been arrested in connection with two of the homicides: the April 22 death of bail bondsman Jonathan Wieseler and the June 27 death of cabdriver Ricky Lillie. Both men were shot to death, police said. Jones was arrested in connection with Lillie's death on July 20, but was not arrested in connection with the Wieseler homicide until Nov. 20.
Lamar Wilson, 21, is accused of killing 22-year-old Kaleek Jones in a shooting on the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on Aug. 27. Two other men were injured in the shooting. Wilson has said he will rely on Iowa's 'stand your ground” law, arguing he was justified in using deadly force.
Wilson also faces two counts of attempted murder, three counts of intimidation and criminal gang participation in that case.
l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com