Green Island Boy Freed

MCCLAIN, KANE

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/27/2013 at 15:25:49

Omaha World Herald, December 2, 1983

BOY WHO SHOT DAD IS FREED

Maquoketa, Ia (AP)-A 15 year old Green Island boy who endured frequent and severe beatings from his father was justified in pulling the trigger of a shotgun that killed him, a grand jury ruled Wednesday.

No charges will be filed because Robert "Bobby" McClain was in fear of his life when he shot his father, James, a Jackson County grand jury and County Attorney Mike Kane decided after two days of testimony.

In the two days of testimony, Kane said the grand jury heard details about McClain's history of beating Bobby and other family members. The testimony included a recounting of a time when Bobby was beaten on the back with an iron rod after the boy was unable to find McClain's lost dog. After the beating the grand jury was told, McClain put Bobby in the shower to wash off the blood-all the time pointing a shotgun at the boy.

When Bobby went to live with his grandmother in September, McClain would come to the house to take him fishing. Bobby would always return badly beaten. McClain was also known to abuse other family members and in recent months McClain's mother had kept a loaded shotgun in case McClain became violent, Kane said. It was that shotgun with which Bobby shot his father November 20.