Longtime Des Moines Attorney Dies Suddenly

Mon November 16 2009
Posted Nov 16, 2009
11,417

Des Moines, IA Well-known local prosecutor and defense attorney Terry Wright died suddenly this weekend. Wright had worked for many years as a prosecutor in both the Polk County Attorney’s Office and as a United States federal prosecutor. Most recently, he had worked as a defense attorney in private practice and had been involved in a high-profile case this fall in the Des Moines area. Wright defended Paul “Judd” McKinney of Winterset, who was charged with striking bicyclist Mark Grgurich and then leaving the scene of the collision. Grgurich was killed. McKinney was scheduled to stand trial in December, but several weeks ago was found dead in his garage. Authorities said the 80-year-old McKinney had committed suicide. In the early 1980’s, Terry Wright worked as an assistant United States Attorney and prosecuted a sensational bank robbery, kidnapping and murder case that occurred in Grinnell. Gordon “Butch” Early kidnapped and killed his cousin Dawn Kriegel, a bank employee, and her husband as part of an inside-job bank robbery. Early was convicted of the crimes. Terry Wright’s family said he died in his sleep on Saturday night. He was 70-years-old. Funeral arrangements are pending.