The defense has rested its case in Luke Van Hemert’s murder trial in Oskaloosa.  Van Hemert is charged with second degree murder in the death of William Penn University basketball player Marquis Todd in March of 2018.  Van Hemert took the stand in his own defense Friday (4/12).  He said when William Penn basketball player Michael Donaldson drove by his house after an earlier accident where Donaldson’s car hit Van Hemert’s, “I was scared.  I didn’t want the situation to escalate.”  Van Hemert testified that he tried tackling Todd, but Todd got on top of him and hit Van Hemert several times in the face.  That’s when Van Hemert pulled a pocketknife out of his pocket and stabbed Todd.  Van Hemert said that’s when Todd got off of him and walked away.  Van Hemert said he then ran behind his house and threw the knife toward the Community Stadium track, which is near his home.  Van Hemert admitted he didn’t tell police that he had a knife, nor did he mention he had thrown a rock or “chunk of concrete” at Donaldson’s car.  Iowa Assistant District Attorney Andrew Prosser noted that Van Hemert told police Todd had hit him just once.  When Prosser asked why Van Hemert would minimize the incident, including having Donaldson drive towards him and the fight, Van Hemert replied, “I was scared.”  The jury will get instructions from Judge Lucy Gamon on Monday (4/15).

The defense began presenting its case Thursday afternoon (4/11) in Luke Van Hemert’s murder trial in Oskaloosa.  Van Hemert is charged with second degree murder in the death of William Penn University basketball player Marquis Todd.  The only defense witness to testify Thursday was Elijah Marcus, a friend of Van Hemert who was at the Van Hemert home when Todd was killed.  Marcus testified that on the night of the killing, a car he was riding in with Van Hemert and Jeffrey Beard was struck by a car driven by William Penn basketball player Michael Donaldson.  After that accident, according to Marcus, Donaldson left the scene of the accident, then returned at which time he (Marcus) broke Donaldson’s windshield with a tree branch.  Marcus went on to testify that Donaldson again left the scene, only to return with his teammates D’Angelo Allen and Todd.  At that time, an altercation broke out during the course of which, Todd was allegedly stabbed by Van Hemert.  Marcus testified that he didn’t see the stabbing because he was in a fight with Allen or Donaldson.  Marcus wound up with a swollen eye, a fat lip and a sore back.  But when questioned twice by law enforcement, Marcus never mentioned his back injury.  Nor did he say he had hit Donaldson’s car with the tree branch.  Marcus admitted to hitting the car during a deposition with defense attorneys last week.  Marcus also said he did not call police and admitted he had compared notes on the incident with Van Hemert’s father.

Earlier today, the prosecution rested its case.  In Thursday morning’s (4/11) testimony, prosecutors played an interview between Van Hemert and Iowa DCI special agent Don Schnitker following Todd’s death.  Van Hemert said during a confrontation between himself, his father and friend Elijah Marcus against Todd and two other William Penn basketball players, Van Hemert had been pushed down and was scared.  Prior to the confrontation, vehicles driven by Van Hemert and one of Todd’s friends had been involved in a minor accident.
Later,Dr. Dennis Klein from the State Medical Examiners Office testified that Todd died from a stab wound to the chest and his death was at the hands of another person. Klein added there were no injuries to his hands or other signs Todd had been in a fight.