• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Iowa Appeals Court throws out kidnapping conviction in Des Moines case

Iowa Appeals Court throws out kidnapping conviction in Des Moines case

April 9, 2008 By admin

The Iowa Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of a man accused of abducting a toddler at the Des Moines Public Library. James Effler was accused of taking a two-year-old girl into a bathroom at the Des Moines Public Library in October of 2005 and sexually assaulting the child.

Effler was found guilty of first-degree kidnapping and sentenced to life in prison. Effler appealed the conviction saying his graphic confession of stripping the young girl and sexually assaulting her should be thrown out, as police refused his request for a lawyer prior to his confession. The prosecution argued it was a harmless error and there was enough evidence without the confession to prove Effler sexually assaulted the girl — a condition needed to prove first-degree kidnapping.

The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that even though Effler was clearly intoxicated at the time, he did ask for an attorney and the district court should have suppressed statements Effler made to investigators. The court says the improperly admitted confession had a profound impact on the jury’s consideration of whether the girl was subjected to sexual abuse. The court reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts

Featured Stories

Governor signs Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard into law

Jury returns guilty verdict in shooting death of State Trooper

A haboob, a dust storm black out, hits northwest Iowa

Summit has easements for 20% of carbon pipeline route through Iowa

Morel mushroom hunters on hold without warmer conditions

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa Special Olympics Summer games set to open in Ames

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 5/16/22

Iowa assistant coach Kirk Speraw to retire

Northern Iowa prepares for Missouri Valley Conference softball tournament

T.J. Otzelberger announces staff changes at Iowa State

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC