IOWA CITY – An Iowa City landlord who was convicted of spying on his college-age female tenants – one of them from Mason City – has been granted a new trial.
According to court records, on December 31st, 2013, Johnson County District Court Judge Stephen Gerard ruled that 64-year-old Elwyn Gene Miller of Iowa City committed the crime of invasion of privacy involving nudity, where the defendant knowingly viewed female tenants in apartments he owns for the purpose of arousing or gratifying his sexual desire. Miller reportedly had drilled holes in bathroom walls and attempted to watch the women as they showered. Miller was found guilty on five of eleven counts, records show. He faces up to one year in jail and a fine of $1,500 on each count.
On Tuesday, January 7, Miller’s attorney, Mark Brown, filed a motion for a new trial and a request to arrest judgment. Court records show that on January 8, a new trial had been granted for Miller by Judge Gerard and set for February 10, 2014, the same day he was supposed to be sentenced.
Miller is being sued by Joseph LaPointe of Mason City, the father of 22-year-old Ruth LaPointe, a former tenant of Miller’s who lived in an apartment where Miller was allegedly spying on college-age women.
Before the new trial was granted, Ms. LaPointe told NIT that she was happy with the guilty verdict handed down on Miller.
“Thank God our judges are reasonable enough to make that decision,” she said. “Wish the guys who were peeped on had their justice too, though.”
