Blum sentenced to 50 years in prison

    James Dean Blum was sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday for the second-degree murder of his wife Patricia Blum. Blum will get credit for time served. Blum must serve no less than 70 percent of his sentence. Blum will not be eligible for bond on appeal.

    Blum has 30 days to file a notice of appeal. He can appeal the jury?s verdict, evidentiary matters in the trial, or the sentence. Blum?s attorney, John Robertson of Iowa City, could not be reached for comment.

    Blum is required to pay $150,000 in restitution to the victim?s family. He will also pay about $7,500 for funeral expenses and $3,600 to Washington County for medical expenses. He must pay attorney fees but they are not to exceed $3,600.

    Blum was convicted of his wife?s murder by a 12-person jury in Washington County on Jan. 7. Patricia Blum was found unresponsive on Jan. 11, 2010, in the couple?s home at 1009 E. Washington St.

    The case was prosecuted by two Iowa assistant attorneys general ? Andrew Prosser and Denise Timmins. The state showed evidence that Blum admitted on multiple occasions to killing his wife. The state played a recording of Blum?s 911 call made that day, during which Blum said, ?I just killed my wife.?

    Later that day, Blum was interviewed by Sergeant Lyle Hansen of the Washington Police Department. Blum told Hansen that he held his wife down on the couch ?2 to 3 minutes, maybe 5.? During the trial, Blum testified that he wrote a note that afternoon. The state presented a photograph of the note, which included the line ?I kill Paty? written on it.   

For the full story, see the Feb. 22 edition of The Washington Evening Journal