Murder Suspect Dumps A Cup Of Water On His Own Attorney’s Head

Murder suspect Jerome Power poured a cup of water over his attorney’s head, seconds before jurors were about to begin their deliberations, in protest at his handling of the case.

The 50-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dumped the liquid over Steve Addington, of Des Moines, in front of the jurors and judge, each of whom recoiled in shock at his actions.

Power is charged with the first-degree murder of his 68-year-old neighbor, Doris Bevins, on September 19 2010. He is accused of strangling her to death in her own home.

As the incident unfolded Power shouted, “It should have been a mistrial! You sold me out!” Police found Power hiding behind Bevins’ front door after they responded to a 911 call, from an associate of the pensioner, who had been talking to her on the phone when the altercation took place that night.

Officers in the court room looked to respond to Power’s actions but were unable to prevent Addington from being soaked. This came after Power acted in an increasingly ‘agitated and defiant’ manner as Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden gave his closing arguments. The jurors resumed their deliberations this morning at 8.30am.

Vander Sanden said that the murder of Bevins was a ‘premeditated, deliberate and wilful’ attack, and that Power ‘squeezed the life from her.’ Power maintains his innocence and has told police that the murderer was a white man who lived in the same apartment as himself and Bevins. However Bevins’ cellphone and charge were found in his pocket at the scene of the crime.