Iowa Supreme Court Declares Man Accused in Prestage Pork Plant Killing Incompetent for Trial

Jan 27, 2025

The legal journey surrounding a tragic incident at a Prestage pork facility took another turn as the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the accused, Lukouxs Brown, is incompetent to stand trial for the alleged murder of coworker Wayne Smith in February 2021.

In its Jan. 17 decision, the court determined that Brown remains mentally unfit to face trial, though progress in his mental health has been noted. Brown, who was arrested in 2021, was initially declared incompetent by a Wright County judge due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia and was placed in treatment. However, his legal status has been revisited multiple times since.

In early 2022, an Iowa district court reversed the initial ruling after a new evaluation, declaring Brown fit for trial. A similar pattern emerged in 2024 when the Iowa Court of Appeals first ruled him incompetent in March, only to later deem him fit for trial following its own evaluation.

The latest Supreme Court ruling overrides previous findings and orders Brown to continue restoration treatment. “We find the preponderance of the evidence shows that Brown remains incompetent to stand trial but is making progress in regaining competency,” the court stated.

This ruling marks another chapter in the ongoing case, which has drawn attention not only for the tragic loss of life but also for the complexities surrounding mental health and the legal process. The case highlights the challenges of addressing competency in the justice system, particularly in high-profile incidents within the agriculture and meat processing industries.

Click here to see more...

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.