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Murder suspect found competent to stand trial

Mark Russell

After a psychiatric evaluation and establishment of an appropriate medication regimen, first-degree murder defendant Mark Russell was declared competent to stand trial Friday morning.

Russell is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother, Angela McLeod, with a golf club in her North 14th Street home Jan. 20 following an altercation.

A psychiatric competency evaluation was completed April 21, according to District Court Judge Angela Doyle.

Defense attorney Charles Kenville said his client had “improved vastly” with his schizophrenia symptoms over their last two meetings prior to Friday.

Per order of the Iowa Supreme Court, the moratorium on criminal jury trials has been extended from July, when it was initially set to expire, to September.

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