State of Iowa v. Marshaun Jordan Merrett

MANSFIELD, Justice.

This case asks us to decide whether a jury’s general verdict and special interrogatory answer were inconsistent and, if so, whether the district court could enter judgment on inconsistent verdicts at the defendant’s urging.

Here the jury found the defendant guilty of intimidation with a dangerous weapon with intent based on his involvement in a shooting. At the same time, the jury answered “no” to a special interrogatory that asked whether the defendant had possessed a firearm. If the jury had answered “yes” to the interrogatory, the de fendant would have been subject to a…