Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County, Thomas A. Bitter, Judge. AFFIRMED. Heard by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Doyle and Mullins, JJ. Opinion by Doyle, J. (13 pages)

Imere Hall appeals his convictions of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery following a jury trial. OPINION HOLDS: Substantial evidence exists to support the jury’s verdict, and the district court properly denied Hall’s motion for judgment of acquittal. Additionally, Hall’s sentence of life in prison without parole is not cruel and unusual punishment or in violation of his right to equal protection of the laws. Finally, his pro se arguments, insofar as they were preserved for our review, are without merit. Accordingly, we affirm Hall’s judgment and sentence following his convictions of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.