Trial starts today for Tama County man accused of killing parents with machete 

CEDAR RAPIDS - A federal trial begins Monday for a Tama County man accused of killing his parents with a machete in their home last February.

Gordon Lasley Jr., 25, and attorneys won't dispute the fact that he committed the murders, but instead, will claim insanity, leaving the jury to decide whether he is criminally responsible for the crime, according to court documents filed in the case.

A jury was selected Friday and opening statements begin 9 a.m. Monday in U.S. District Court. The trial is expected to last nearly three weeks.

Follow updates of the trial from Gazette reporter Trish Mehaffey on Twitter @tmehaffey, using the hashtag #lasleytrial and on thegazette.com.

Lasley is charged with two counts first-degree murder. According to a criminal complaint, he killed his parents, Gordon Lasley Sr. and Kim Lasley with a machete in their home on the Meskwaki settlement Feb. 5. Officers found the machete lying on a sofa with apparent blood on it.

According to the complaint, Lasley with blood on his hands and clothing was driving his mother's when sheriff's deputies pulled him over Feb. 6. Lasley also had cuts on his left hand and scratches on his right hand.

Lasley's girlfriend told authorities she had been with Lasley and his parents in their home Feb. 5, but she left and then later received a call from Lasley, saying he killed his parents, according to the complaint.

The older brother of Lasley and his girlfriend also told authorities he had confessed, according to the complaint.

Meskwaki Nation police officers found the bodies of the couple after their other son told police that Lasley also admitted to the crime.

During the course of the trial, Lasley's attorneys will put on expert witnesses to testify that Lasley had a delusional break that led to the murders, according to court documents filed in this case. Lasley believed he was infected with AIDS and syphilis, which was a 'hex” placed upon him by his parents. He thought killing them would heal him.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade ruled last week that she will allow psychologists to testify about statements made to them by Lasley, but the statements won't be offered for their truth, only to prove they are false, such as the statements his parents placed a 'hex” on him or that he was infected with sexually transmitted disease. The defense wants the statements in the record to show his mental state.

Lasley told the psychologists he thought his mother was attempting to 'hide him from the truth,” and that his parents were in it together, according to court documents. Lasley believed his medical condition was a punishment for a sin his parents had committed.

Reade said in the ruling it's difficult to know what statements the experts will testify about, so she will reserve ruling until they come up during trial.

The prosecution will be allowed to have non-expert witnesses testify about Lasley's alleged violent behavior in the past in rebuttal to his insanity claim.

According to Reade's ruling, the witnesses can testify about what they saw or heard from Lasley regarding his mental health during the relevant time period.

The prosecution witnesses will testify about Lasley's alleged history of anger control issues, according to court documents. Treatment records show Lasley had control issues as a child. He was referred to juvenile authorities and was on probation at age 14, and at 17, he was sent to Eldora Boys Training School because of misconduct.

Witnesses will testify about incidents Lasley had with law enforcement and that he physically assaulted his girlfriend, the mother of his children on numerous occasions. In one incident, Lasley swore at officers and made threats about 'blowing” an officer's head off.

In April 2013, Lasley assaulted a man and his girlfriend at a bar, according to court documents. Lasley hit the man in the face, causing permanent damage to his teeth and pushing the girlfriend.

Reade in last week's ruling said the prior 'bad acts” evidence will be allowed to rebut Lasley's claim that he was insane at the time of the offense. The bad acts go back several years before the fatal acts but Reade said they would be allowed as long as the prosecution can offer competent proof of this alleged behavior.

In the same ruling, Reade also will allow the prosecution to present a replica machete during the trial. The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has approved the use of replica evidence during trial. The actual machete will be submitted as evidence but it will remain in a secured box for safety reasons. A wooden replica will be used by the prosecution to demonstrate how the machete was used in the assault. The defense didn't resist this motion.