Rodney Bean found guilty of manslaughter

Ainsworth resident Rodney Lee ?Joe? Bean, age 52, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Thursday in connection to the death of 78-year-old Joye L. Gentzler, formerly of rural Ainsworth, Feb. 27, 2008. A Keokuk County jury of six men and six women handed down the verdict after six hours of deliberation. Bean?s sentencing will be Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. in the Washington County Courthouse. His bond was set at $50,000.

The jury also convicted Bean of six other counts: two counts of second-degree theft, neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, intentional dependent adult abuse causing serious injury, reckless dependent adult abuse causing serious injury and dependent adult abuse involving financial exploitation in excess of $100.

Washington County Attorney Larry Brock prosecuted the case, which was initially going to be held in Washington County. The defense asked that the trial be moved to another venue because Bean?s wife, Lori Jo Bean, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter relating to Gentzler?s death in December 2010.

The case began Monday, Sept. 12, and lasted eight days. The prosecution called 22 witnesses to testify. Brock said he called witnesses who testified about Gentzler?s condition before she moved in with the Beans in January 2007. Brock said he also called medical professionals who had contact with Gentzler.

According to a press release from the Washington County Attorney?s office issued Friday, Gentzler?s death was reported to employees of the Jones-Eden Funeral Home Feb. 28, 2008. Washington County Medical Examiner Dr. Robin Plattenberger requested an autopsy be performed on Gentzler?s body. State Medical Examiner Dr. Marcus Nashelsky performed the autopsy. Nashelsky concluded that the cause of Gentzler?s death was dehydration and malnutrition and that the manner of her death was homicide.

Washington County Sheriff?s deputy Eric Holsapple and Department of Criminal Investigation agent Darrell Simmons investigated Gentzler?s death. According to the press release, Holsapple and Simmons found financial irregularities relating to Gentzler?s social security benefits. Plattenberger, Nashelsky and Simmons testified on behalf of the prosecution.

Bean was represented by Davis Foster of Foster Law Office in Iowa City. Foster was not available for comment Friday. The defense called nine witnesses including Bean?s daughter, Amber Bean, and a physician, John Fullerton, of San Francisco.

Brock said that he argued in his closing remarks that Bean willingly brought Gentzler, who was a dependent adult, to live at his home and that in so doing he assumed the responsibilities of a caregiver.

?He had obligations to provide minimal clothing, food and mental and physical care,? Brock said Friday. ?He failed to do that.?

Brock said Bean had power of attorney for Gentzler and that he used it for his own benefit. Brock said he argued that Bean used Gentzler?s account to purchase items that were not for Gentzler. He said Bean used about $5,000 of Gentzler?s Social Security benefits for himself.

In an affidavit prepared in April 2008, Holsapple stated that he spoke to Nashelsky in March 2008 about the autopsy, and Nashelsky told Holsapple that Gentzler had several fractured ribs and a broken right arm that was non-functional. Nashelsky also told Holsapple that Gentzler weighed 70 pounds at the time of autopsy and that she weighed 130 pounds nearly two years prior in May 2006. Nashelsky reported to Holsapple that Gentzler had several bedsores on her right hip.

Holsapple also stated that through an investigation, he discovered that Gentzler had sold property to Rodney Bean in 2002, and had given him power of attorney in 2004. The purchase price of the property was $21,000 and the value at the time was approximately $80,000. In his affidavit, Holsapple states that Bean canceled the medications Gentzler was receiving through Washington County Public Health in June 2006. Public health records show that Gentzler had been diagnosed with dementia.

Holsapple wrote that he had found no records indicating that Gentzler received any medical care or prescriptions after June 2006.

Bean took Gentzler to live with him and his family around January 2007, according to the affidavit. Washington County Public Health attempted to make contact with Gentzler after this time but was unable to do so.

Gentzler?s only income during this time was $642 per month in social security benefits. Holsapple wrote that Bean had control of those funds, and that the balance in Gentzler?s bank account at the time of her death was $40.57. According to bank statements reviewed during the investigation, there was a deposit of a check written out to Gentzler from Rodney Bean in November 2007. Bank statements further revealed that there were two checks, one for $7,000 and another for $3,000, that were written from Gentzler back to Bean.