The Iowa Appellate Court has said "no" to a Rock Island man serving a life sentence for murder. Thursday justices upheld the convictions of Gary Fortune for the death in 2014 of Betty Simmons, and attempted murder of her husband Jack Simmons.
Fortune was also convicted of burglary and arson.
Following an argument with his girlfriend's parents, Fortune broke into their home in Davenport, and stabbed them both, killing Betty Simmons.
He argued his lawyer was in-effective, there wasn't enough evidence to convict him, that his statements to police should not have been admitted, that his use of alcohol and other drugs was a mitigating factor, and that he should have been granted a new trial.
Justices of the appellate court rejected all of these claims, and upheld all of Fortune's convictions.