State seeks own psychiatric exam of accused woman

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The prosecution is seeking a psychological evaluation of a Charles City woman charged with trying to kill her mother, in advance of a trial currently set for Aug. 12.

Jennifer Katherine Bean, age 44, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of attempted murder and one charge of domestic abuse causing bodily injury, after allegedly injecting her mother with insulin without her mother’s consent last November.

The action resulted in the victim having low blood sugar that if left untreated could have resulted in death, according to court documents.

Bean’s attorneys, Steven Kloberdanz and Nellie O’Mara, indicated in March that they intend to rely on a defense of diminished responsibility in the trial, which means they will argue that Bean was unable to form the necessary criminal intent to commit the alleged crime because her mental functions were diminished or impaired.

As part of that defense, the attorneys have submitted a report by Dr. Brenda Payne, a clinical psychologist in Iowa City.

Last Thursday, Iowa Assistant Attorney General Douglas Hammerand, who is working with the Floyd County Attorney’s Office to prosecute the case, asked the judge to order Bean to undergo a psychological evaluation by Dr. Veronica Lestina, a psychologist, in Moline, Illinois.

A judge has not yet ruled on Hammerand’s request.

Bean’s attorneys earlier had sought a change of venue from Floyd County District Court, arguing that “due to the extensive media coverage and her reputation in the community, such a degree of prejudice exists in Floyd County that there is a substantial likelihood that a fair and impartial trial cannot be preserved with a jury selected here.”

The prosecution resisted a change of venue, arguing the defense hadn’t proved that pretrial publicity was either pervasive or prejudicial. The defense later withdrew that motion before the judge had acted on it.
According to court records, Charles City police went to a residence in the 1600 block of Salzar St. on Nov. 6 after a 911 call from that address hung up.

Police initially charged Bean with domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury and interruption of emergency communications for allegedly preventing her mother from calling for help.

Later, after further investigation, police charged Bean with attempted murder.

The trial information filed by the county attorney’s office charges Bean with one count of attempt to commit murder, a Class B felony; and one count of domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor. She is also charged with a citation for allegedly obstructing the 911 call, a simple misdemeanor.

Conviction of attempted murder is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.