Caledonia Argus

Meyer pleads not guilty in Iowa court to kidnapping

Posted: 12/30/03

A New Albin man charged with murdering a Caledonia man on December 8 has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges.

Justin Meyer filed a written arraignment in district court in the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon on December 29.

A March 17 trial date was set, with a pre-trial conference on March 1, both at 9:30 a.m. Judge John Bauercamper will preside.

Meyer has been charged in Iowa with kidnapping in the first degree, a Class A felony, punishable by life in prison without parole.

He is being held on $750,000 cash bond at the Fayette County Jail in West Union, Iowa. If convicted, he would face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The kidnapping of a woman and her 10-month-old infant allegedly took place on December 8 in Caledonia.

In Houston County, Meyer has been charged with two alternate counts of second degree murder for the shooting death of Mark Sullivan prior to the kidnapping in the early morning of Monday, December 8. Each carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

Houston County Attorney Rick Jackson has requested Meyerís extradition, but that has not taken place yet because Iowa has the right to retain him until prosecution.

Meyer is being represented by attorneys from the Iowa Public Defenderís Office in Dubuque. A phone call to that office on December 29 was not returned.

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