James Blum found guilty of murder

    James Dean Blum was found guilty of second-degree murder of his wife Patricia Blum Friday afternoon. Blum was convicted by a 12-member jury after a trial that lasted three days. On Friday morning, the prosecution and defense made their closing arguments. The jury went into deliberation at noon and by about 3:30 p.m. it had reached a verdict. Blum?s sentencing hearing will be Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Washington County Courthouse.

Prosecution?s close

    Iowa Assistant Attorney General Andrew Prosser gave the state?s closing argument. Prosser said Blum repeatedly admitted to killing his wife ? in the 911 call, in the notepad on his desk and also in his interview with Sergeant Lyle Hansen. Prosser played the portion of the 911 call when Blum said, ?I just killed my wife.? He played a portion of the interview with Hansen in which Blum said he was ?holding her down 2 to 3 minutes, maybe 5.? Prosser showed the jury a photograph of the notepad on which Blum wrote, ?I kill Paty.?

    Prosser mentioned that, on numerous occasions, Blum asked police officer Chad Huschka and Hansen if his wife was still alive that afternoon. Prosser said that the defense interpreted this as a sign of Blum?s concern, but Prosser interpreted it differently. He played the recording of Blum asking Huschka, ?Is she alive?? and told the jury that Blum?s tone rose at the end. Prosser argued that, upon seeing Patricia with an IV in her arm, Blum?s statement and his tone indicated he was worried his wife was still alive because of what she would tell the authorities.     

    Hansen interviewed Blum for about three hours that afternoon. At one time, Hansen leaves Blum alone in the room. On the recording, Blum can be heard saying, ?I hope she?s dead because I ain?t gonna put up with any more of it.?

    Prosser remarked, ?His own words indicate he?s not asking that question (about Patricia?s health) out of compassion.?

    Prosser then drew attention to Blum?s testimony on the witness stand. When Defense Attorney John Robertson asked Blum what was going through his mind upon finding Patricia unresponsive, Blum answered that he was ?worried what was going to happen to me.? Robertson asked Blum how he felt about Patricia, and Blum answered, ?Miserable.?

    ?How about scared?? said Prosser.

    Prosser argued that Blum?s testimony revealed he was concerned about himself and not about Patricia that day. 

    ?The truth is coming out of his mouth,? said Prosser.

Defense?s close

    Robertson presented the defense?s closing remarks. Robertson referenced the testimony of one of the state?s witnesses, Jonathan Thompson, who is the Associate State Medical Examiner for Iowa. Thompson performed Patricia?s autopsy. He testified that Patricia had 80 percent blockage in one of her arteries, and that her body did not show signs of a struggle. He said he would have concluded Patricia died of a heart attack if not for his contact with Hansen and with Washington County Medical Examiner Robin Plattenberger, who told him it was a possible homicide. Robertson asked him what steps he took to verify what Hansen and Plattenberger told him, and he answered that he took none, and that he must have a certain trust in those people.

    Robertson said Blum was not a ?sophisticated? individual and noted that he had an eighth-grade education.

    ?This is a man without the kind of eloquence of an Andy Prosser,? said Robertson. ?Look at your own families. I bet you have relatives like that.?

For the full story, see the Jan. 10 edition of The Washington Evening Journal