An Expected Surprise in Book Seven: Reconstruction 2020

Iowa’s Supreme Court, recognizing the massive strain COVID is placing on the state, have once again cancelled all Jury Trials. To be renewed in February.

This is… both positive and negative. Positive because it means we aren’t needlessly exposing hundreds (maybe thousands) to COVID at a time when our state only has 3 ventilators available. Positive because, as happened to us recently, if we have a jury trial set and THE NIGHT BEFORE TRIAL, a witness has COVID… either we lose the trial, or bump the trial… without getting increased time on our deadlines. SO technically, this delay will allow for more jury trials to happen safely and within the confines of the law. This is really negative because.... victims who have been worried about facing their accuser now get to worry more. Witnesses with spotty memories now get to forget more. Defendants awaiting trial in jail? Will be filing motion after motion after motion demanding that they are released. And the big problem? Next year… we’re looking at a grand total (all combined) of 20 trial dates. We’re averaging about 40 trial requests per month. We’re still trying to slog through the 5 months that we were closed already. Now you’re adding 3 more months. In addition to the demands already imposed. So, when we opened back up in August.... we had a backlog of (estimating from stated numbers) 200 cases. We could have 2 trials in August. So 198 cases. Add the 40 for September but subtract 2 trials: 236 cases. Add the 40 for October but subtract 2 trials: 274 cases. Add the 40 for November but subtract 2 trials: 312 trials..... NOW add in the backlog for December, January, and February? That’s 432 cases!!

So… instead of looking at trying to get through roughly the 40 or so cases… balancing which two to 6 we set for trial and which 34 to 38 we try for a plea deal… we’ll be looking at 432 cases. With the same Add 40 Subtract 2 math… going into a maximum of 20 trial dates. SO… yeah. While this does technically help The State on the legal grounds… I can see why prosecutors are freaking out! Not to mention… prosecutors freaking out because this means a LOT of accused criminals will now be getting out of jail and either (1) relapsing; (2) re-abusing partners; or (3) disappearing entirely.

Oh, but I forgot to mention… why is all of this happening?
(1) Iowa now has only three ventilators left for the entire state
(2) The hospital I most frequented back home is now unable to take new patients
(3) Current statistics put the Iowa COVID positive rate at 19%. The sister county to mine (right next door) has a COVID positive rate of 60%!!

But does this matter to the Trumpian little douche nuggets of Iowa? OF COURSE NOT!
Case in point… you know how I’ve been crazy fucking busy this week? And covering for my boss?
It is because the Prosecutors Convention went ahead as scheduled. Live. In person. In the middle of a Red Zone! Yeah… my convention over the summer was done virtually preventing us from going to a County with low exposure and sitting in a giant gymnasium for respect to COVID… but now, with massively higher numbers, lets do this conference in person, in a red zone, in a hotel.

Fucking. Idiots.