New judge assigned to Fairfield murder case

Chief District 8 Judge Mary Ann Brown signed a special order for a new judge to preside over all matters in legal proceedings for the accused murderers of Fairfield Spanish Teacher Nohema Graber.

The order required that District 8 Judge Shawn Showers be “assigned to preside over all aspects of these cases, including pretrial matters and trial.”

Showers was Washington County Attorney before his appointment to the bench in 2016, according to the Iowa judicial branch website. He replaces Judge Joel Yates in the joint trial for the two 16-year-olds, Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale, who prosecutors allege killed the 66-year old Fairfield woman.

The move came two days after the state and county attorneys filed for such an assignment, citing the efficiency of having one judge cover both trials.

“This motion is brought in light of the seriousness of the charges, the complexity of the issues of law and fact anticipated to be at evidence herein, and in the interest of judicial economy” said the state request signed by Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding on Dec. 8. “This application has been discussed with, and is not resisted by Defense Counsels.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com