Jury selected in Blum trial

    Jury selection for the murder trial of Washington resident James Dean Blum, 71, began earlier today. After the 12 jurors and the alternates are selected, the trial will begin immediately. Blum is charged with the second-degree murder of his wife Patricia Blum, who was found unresponsive in the couple?s home at 1009 E. Washington St. on Jan. 11, 2010.

    The case will be prosecuted by two assistant attorneys general ? Andrew Prosser and Denise Timmins. Former Washington County Attorney Barb Edmondson was previously in charge of the case, and planned to prosecute it on its original start date of Oct. 5. However, defense attorney John Robertson asked for a continuance to Jan. 4. Edmondson objected, but District Court Judge Joel Yates granted the continuance.

    In November, Edmondson was defeated by Larry Brock in the county attorney race. After the election, Edmondson and Brock met to discuss the Blum trial. Edmondson said she and Brock agreed the case should be handled by the state attorney general?s office because it would occur so early in Brock?s term. Brock was sworn-in to office Monday morning at the Board of Supervisors? meeting. In mid-November, Edmondson made a copy of her records and delivered them to the attorney general?s office in Des Moines, which has been in charge of the case ever since.   

For the full story, see the Jan. 4 edition of The Washington Evening Journal