(Des Moines)– The methamphetamine conviction of a Linn Grove man has been overturned by the Iowa Court of Appeals.
In a ruling handed down last week, Appeals Judge Rosemary Sackett reversed the June 2004 conviction of Doug Stoermer of Linn Grove. Stoermer was arrested after a search of his home in November of 2002 turned up huge quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana. The warrant to search the home was obtained after Stoermer’s live-in girlfriend–Michelle Knudson–was found to be driving with drug paraphernalia in her vehicle.
Clay County Attorney Mike Houchins says the Appeals Court ruled they did not have probable cause to support the search warrant. However, Houchins says District Court Judge Frank Nelson believed there WAS proper evidence to issue the warrant. Houchins adds his office stands firm behind their initial decision to search the Stoermer home.
Houchins says the decision to appeal the case to the Supreme Court will be made by Attorney General Tom Miller in the next 20 to 30 days. If the case is not appealed to the Supreme Court, the charges against Stoermer will be dismissed.
After his conviction in June of 2004, Stoermer was released from custody on an appeal bond.
(From Danielle Hitchings of sister station KDWD Hot 100 in Spencer.).
