Murder trial Set for Man Accused of Strangling Neighbor

By Trish Mehaffey, Reporter

Jerome Power, 50, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with first-degree murder. He is accused of killing Doris Bevins, 68, who was found by police unconscious with flannel pants wrapped around her neck Sept. 19, 2010 in her southeast Cedar Rapids apartment.

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By Belinda Yeung

Story Created: Oct 22, 2012 at 1:12 PM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 22, 2012 at 1:20 PM CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Attorneys said Monday the murder trial for Jerome Power, who is accused of strangling to death his neighbor in 2010, is on track to begin Nov. 13, in Linn County District Court.

Power, 50, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with first-degree murder. He is accused of killing Doris Bevins, 68, who was found by police unconscious with flannel pants wrapped around her neck Sept. 19, 2010 in her southeast Cedar Rapids apartment.

The trial is expected to last about a week and a half. Attorneys in the case told a judge Monday during a pre-trial conference there were no pending issues and they hoped to start testimony after a day of jury selection.

Power, who in the same apartment house as Bevins, was found hiding inside behind the entry door, when police smashed a window to enter the locked apartment, according to a search warrant.

Bevins died from asphyxiation by strangulation, according to a medical examiner’s report.