Police interview heard at trial

    The trial of Ainsworth resident Lori Jo Bean continued Wednesday with the testimony of Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Darrell Simmons. Simmons and Washington County Deputy Eric Holsapple interviewed Lori in March 2008. Bean is on trial for manslaughter in connection to the death of 78-year-old Joye L. Gentzler, who died Feb. 27, 2008. Gentzler was a dependent adult who was staying with Lori and Rodney ?Joe? Bean in Ainsworth at the time.

    Simmons and Holsapple made an audio recording of their interview with Lori. Later, the interview was transcribed. The jury listened to the audio recording while viewing a transcript of the recording on a projector.

    In the interview, Lori said that Gentzler was able to eat and drink on her own, as well as go to the bathroom under her own power. Lori said Gentzler ate three meals per day. She said Gentzler wore a sweater and pants during the day and pajamas at night. Lori said she helped Gentzler change her clothes ?once in a great while.? She said she noticed bruises on Gentzler?s body, and that Gentzler told her she had fallen. Lori remarked that Gentzler did not go outside because she didn?t want to. 

    Simmons and Holsapple informed Lori during the interview that Gentzler?s right arm was broken. Lori said she was unaware of that, and that Gentzler never complained about any pain to her arm or shoulder. Simmons asked how Gentzler was able to feed herself with a broken arm. Lori said that she did notice in the last few weeks of her life that Gentzler switched from eating with her right arm to eating with her left arm.

    Holsapple said in the interview that there would be no way Gentzler could have put on a sweater by herself with a broken arm. Lori said that she helped Gentzler with her clothing the last two weeks of her life. Holsapple said Gentzler?s arm ?wasn?t close to being straight? and asked Lori if she noticed that. Lori said she did notice that, but that Gentzler was able to raise her arm up to her face while sitting in a chair. At first, Lori said that Joe noticed there was a problem with the arm, too, but later in the interview said Joe didn?t know about Gentzler?s broken arm.

For the full story, see the Dec. 8 edition of The Washington Evening Journal