CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld the conviction of a Grundy County man who shot and killed an Iowa State Trooper in 2021. Michael Lang is serving a life sentence. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault on an officer. Lang shot and killed Sergeant Jim Smith during a standoff. Smith was a 27-year veteran of the force.

Police say Lang led officers on a chase, assaulted an officer who pulled him over, then barricaded himself inside his home in Grundy Center. Officers then entered when Lang refused to surrender. That’s when Lang shot Smith.

Lang argued he should’ve been able to claim self-defense because officers used excessive force, but the Iowa Court of Appeals says he can’t make this argument since it was not made in district court.