State Of Iowa Vs. Mark Thomas Hennings

STREIT, Justice.

Mark Hennings was convicted under Iowa’s hate-crime statute after he ran over a twelve-year-old African-American boy. The evidence was sufficient to support the jury verdict that Hennings acted “because of’ the victim’s race or color. Additionally, the district court sufficiently stated reasons on the record for the decision to sentence Hennings to consecutive sentences. We affirm the judgment of the district court.

I. Background Facts and Prior Proceedings.

On the morning of Saturday, June 2, 2007, twelve-year-old A.M., thirteen-year-old J.M., eleven-year-old D.G., and thirteen…