Iowa Supreme Court to review Jefferson County murder case

FAIRFIELD (GTNS) ? The Iowa Supreme Court will review the case of Tyler Webster vs. the state of Iowa, according to Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille.

In 2013, Webster, of Fairfield, was convicted of second-degree murder after a jury trial in Jefferson County. In November 2014, the Iowa Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the case for a new trial.

The State of Iowa, through the Iowa Attorney General?s Office, requested the state supreme court to review the decision of the Iowa Court of Appeals. The Iowa Supreme Court?s decision to review the case was announced earlier this week.

Webster was accused of murdering Buddy Frisbie, 32, of Fairfield, in August 2012.

The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision that Webster should receive a new trial, citing that the original second-degree murder conviction was tainted after discovering a juror?s friendly relationship with Frisbie?s family.

According to an article published by the Omaha World Herald, the juror?s relationship with Frisbie?s relatives came to light near the end of the trial.

Employees at the Jefferson County Courthouse, where the female juror worked, informed the judge that they were surprised the woman was selected because of her relationship with Frisbie?s family.

The juror?s daughter was a close friend of Frisbie?s sibling.

Additionally, days after the trial, Webster?s defense learned that the juror and Frisbie?s mother were Facebook friends, and that Frisbie?s mother had wished her a happy birthday weeks before.

The Herald also reported that after the verdict, Frisbie?s mother wrote on Facebook that the family had wanted a first-degree murder conviction, but could ?now move forward as best we can.?

The juror responded, ?I wish you could have gotten murder in first degree. I can safely say that this was a very hard decision. I could talk to you more about it if you wanted at some point.?

Webster had been serving a 50-year prison term with a mandatory minimum of 35 years prior to being eligible for parole.