Hunter
04/26/23
A Cedar Rapids man who faced a life sentence if convicted on first-degree murder charges was instead convicted of voluntary manslaughter and will not spend the rest of his life in prison.
The Gazette reports that a Linn County Jury convicted 62- year-old Arthur Flowers Tuesday. He faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced.
Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier said the jury “got it wrong” when they convicted Flowers of the lesser offense in the death of 22-year-old Emily Leonard.
Evidence showed Leonard was struck multiple times in the head with a metal rod or pole found on Flowers’ front porch at his southeast Cedar Rapids home. Blood found on the rod matched Leonard’s DNA. The repeated blows caused multiple skull fractures and a large tear in her scalp, as well as other bruising, cuts and other broken bones.
Flowers claimed to be asleep in the bathtub, inches away from where Leonard was found by police. He denied involvement in the woman’s death.
Flowers will be sentenced June 9th.