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Appeals Court to Hear Arguments in Bentler Case

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Oct 8, 2008 at 9:34 AM CST

Story Updated: Oct 8, 2008 at 11:47 AM CST

DES MOINES (AP) - The Iowa Court of Appeals heard arguments today in the case of a man convicted in the shooting deaths of his parents and three teenage sisters.

Shawn Bentler was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder in May 2007 and is serving five life sentences. Authorities say he drove from his home in Quincy, Illinois, in October 2006 and murdered his family in their rural Bonaparte home in southeastern Iowa.

Bentler is seeking a new trial

His lawyer argued that clothing he was wearing when he was arrested shouldn't have been used as evidence at his trial.

A key piece of the prosecution's evidence was a pair of socks Bentler was wearing when he was arrested. On them was a drop of his mother's blood placing him at the scene of the murders.

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