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Pott. County man represents himself at his kidnapping trial

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April 24th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A man from Pottawattamie County facing first- and second-degree kidnapping charges associated with an assault and kidnapping last May, is representing himself at his trial. According the the Daily NonPareil, 39-year old Bryan Bey, of Crescent, told jurors being selected Tuesday, that he did not trust authorities, and that the case against him was made up. Bey, and 33-year old Travis Labno, of Omaha, were arrested in connection with the May 31st, 2012 beating of Council Bluffs resident Tabitha Proplesh, who was 29-years old at the time.The charges against Labno were later dropped. He’s expected to testify during the trial.

An Iowa Department of Transportation officers investigating a suspicious truck on the side of the Old Mormon Bridge Road, found Proplesch handcuffed and beaten inside the cab of the vehicle. Bey,told jurors he was rescuing Proplesch when the truck he was driving ran out of gas. Pott. Count Attorney Matt Wilber said Bey punched Proplesch in the face in the early morning hours of May 31 outside an Omaha apartment rented by Labno, and repeatedly beat her over a 12-hour period because he believed she was a police informant.

Bey said he sees himself as some type of a hero. His trial resumes today (Wednesday).