(DES MOINES, Iowa) A Des Moines woman, accused of killing her stepfather has waived her right to a jury trial.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sera Alexander is charged with First Degree Murder in the shooting-death of 49-year-old Anthony Hartmann May 8, 2017.
The shooting happened as Hartmann returned home to get some of his belongings. Alexander's mother claims her daughter did not know that a restraining order against Hartmann had recently expired. The trial is scheduled for March 5th in Polk County.
Alexander had previously tried Iowa's new "stand your ground" law as a defense, but the judge ruled it did not apply, because the shooting happened before the law went into effect.
Online court records state Alexander's decision to waive a jury trial, was made because of pre-trial publicity, complex legal and factual issues involved in the case, and a desire for written findings of fact and conclusions of law.