Lang
2/5/22
Parole that had been granted for the man who shot and killed another man on the Ped Mall five years ago has now been rescinded after officials discovered they had misinterpreted the length of his sentence.
The Iowa Board of Parole had initially granted a conditional release for 28-year-old Lamar Wilson, who was convicted of killing 22-year-old Kaleek Jones. Wilson was originally charged with first-degree murder, but was later convicted by a jury of voluntary manslaughter, attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and assault with intent to inflict serious injury. During the trial, Wilson didn’t deny that he discharged his gun near the breezeway outside Martini’s just after bar close on August 27th of 2017. He claimed he fired in self-defense and unsuccessfully tried to use “stand your ground” as his defense.
The parole board wrongly believed the two ten-year and two two-year sentences were to be served concurrently, meaning a 12-year prison sentence. But Judge Paul Miller had actually ordered that Wilson’s sentences run consecutively, meaning 24 years behind bars.
Jones’ mother told the Cedar Rapids Gazette she contacted Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness when she learned Wilson may be getting out on parole earlier than scheduled. Lyness then made the parole board aware of their error, and the parole was rescinded.
The Gazette reports Wilson told the parole board he had a job lined up with a landscaping company once he was released. The company told the newspaper that was not true.