Rock Rapids, Iowa — An Inwood man who was convicted of felony sex charges in April has appealed his conviction.
The trial of 41-year old Perry Vande Kieft of Inwood ended in a guilty verdict on Thursday, April 6th.
According to court records, Vande Kieft was accused of having sexual contact with an 11-year-old girl in the spring of 2015 and again in February or March of 2016 at Vande Kieft’s home.
Vande Kieft was convicted of sexual abuse in the second degree, a class B felony. His attorney called for a mistrial and filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied by the court.
At that time, Vande Kieft’s attorney, Ned Bjornstad claimed that the evidence against Vande Kieft was based almost entirely upon the testimony of the victim. He said there was no medical or scientific evidence to corroborate her testimony. The motion Bjornstad filed with the court said the victim’s testimony was “thoroughly incompetent and insufficient as evidence.” He writes that in one instance the testimony was “so incredulous as to render it incompetent.”
There’s been no word on when the appeal may be scheduled, but it is typical for appeals to take several months to be heard.
