THE DARK SIDE OF IOWA
Charles Robinson
#0401006
photo courtesy Des Moines Register
Full Name: Charles Edward Robinson
DOB: May 12, 1947
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Polk
City: Des Moines
Current Status: Iowa State Penitentiary
Date of Crime: January 17, 1987
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victims: Joseph Coon & Mario Burkhalter
DOB: May 12, 1947
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Polk
City: Des Moines
Current Status: Iowa State Penitentiary
Date of Crime: January 17, 1987
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victims: Joseph Coon & Mario Burkhalter
Charles Edward Robinson of 1630 Washington Avenue was charged with murder and attempted murder after one man was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting on January 17, 1987. Charles is accused of killing Joseph Coon, 50, and injuring Mario T. Burkhalter.
Police said that Mario was shot twice in the chest and once in the leg. Joseph was also shot more than once and one bullet struck his head. Mario was able to give police a description of the gunman and told officers where they might find him. Charles was taken into custody later that night.
Neither Joseph nor Mario were armed when the gunman entered the house and fired five or six shots from a large-caliber gun. Joseph and Mario had been alone their two-story house and apparently were watching television before the occurred.
In court, Charles was described as a cold-blooded drug dealer known simply to his customers as "Rambo." It came out that Joseph owed Charles, his drug dealer, too much money and Charles killed him. "Someone was going to pay for the drugs one way or another," a witness told the jury. Although Charles apparently had no grudge against Mario, he allegedly tried to kill him as well to eliminate any witnesses in the shooting. He did not expect Mario to live.
In the courtroom, Mario, limping and using a cane, testified against Charles. Mario said that he underwent open-heart surgery and had the bone in his leg "busted up in about 62 pieces" as a result of the shooting. Of that night, Mario said that he was staying with Joseph at Joseph's house at 1531 Mondamin Avenue the weekend of the shooting. He knew that Joseph used cocaine and had himself used the drug at Joseph's home.
Mario said he knew Charles only as "Rambo" and said he had purchased cocaine from him at a "dope house" about four times. He said although the drugs and money were exchanged through a slot in the door at the "dope house," he had seen Charles' face in the window. The night before the shooting, Joseph accused Charles of short-changing him on a cocaine deal. Charles countered by telling Joseph that he owed him $260 and threatened to cut off his credit for the drugs.
About 4 PM the next day, Mario said, Charles came to the door and asked for Joseph. Mario continued watching a college basketball game and the next thing he knew, Charles was pointing a pistol at him. "He didn't say a word," Mario told the court. He said he was conscious during the shooting and saw Charles shoot Joseph. Charles was sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge and a 25-year term on the attempted murder charge.
Police said that Mario was shot twice in the chest and once in the leg. Joseph was also shot more than once and one bullet struck his head. Mario was able to give police a description of the gunman and told officers where they might find him. Charles was taken into custody later that night.
Neither Joseph nor Mario were armed when the gunman entered the house and fired five or six shots from a large-caliber gun. Joseph and Mario had been alone their two-story house and apparently were watching television before the occurred.
In court, Charles was described as a cold-blooded drug dealer known simply to his customers as "Rambo." It came out that Joseph owed Charles, his drug dealer, too much money and Charles killed him. "Someone was going to pay for the drugs one way or another," a witness told the jury. Although Charles apparently had no grudge against Mario, he allegedly tried to kill him as well to eliminate any witnesses in the shooting. He did not expect Mario to live.
In the courtroom, Mario, limping and using a cane, testified against Charles. Mario said that he underwent open-heart surgery and had the bone in his leg "busted up in about 62 pieces" as a result of the shooting. Of that night, Mario said that he was staying with Joseph at Joseph's house at 1531 Mondamin Avenue the weekend of the shooting. He knew that Joseph used cocaine and had himself used the drug at Joseph's home.
Mario said he knew Charles only as "Rambo" and said he had purchased cocaine from him at a "dope house" about four times. He said although the drugs and money were exchanged through a slot in the door at the "dope house," he had seen Charles' face in the window. The night before the shooting, Joseph accused Charles of short-changing him on a cocaine deal. Charles countered by telling Joseph that he owed him $260 and threatened to cut off his credit for the drugs.
About 4 PM the next day, Mario said, Charles came to the door and asked for Joseph. Mario continued watching a college basketball game and the next thing he knew, Charles was pointing a pistol at him. "He didn't say a word," Mario told the court. He said he was conscious during the shooting and saw Charles shoot Joseph. Charles was sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge and a 25-year term on the attempted murder charge.
Source: Des Moines Register
