• 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 / Split Supreme Court leaves Des Moines man’s life sentence in place

Split Supreme Court leaves Des Moines man’s life sentence in place

May 29, 2009 By admin

A split decision by the Iowa Supreme Court upholds a key ruling in a Des Moines kidnapping and rape case. James Effler was arrested in October of 2005 for taking a two-year-old girl into a bathroom at the Des Moines Library and sexually abusing her.

Effler admitted to officers that he sexually assaulted the girl, but tried to get that admission thrown out, saying he was denied a lawyer. The district court ruled Effler’s confession could be used because he asked police for a lawyer, but said he wanted a lawyer "if he was going to jail."

Effler, who is 35, was convicted of first-degree kidnapping and sentenced to life imprison without the possibility of parole. The Iowa Court of Appeals reversed the district court decision and said Effler’s confession to police could not be used in court because he had requested a lawyer.

The Iowa Supreme Court reviewed the decision. Six of 7 justices heard the case, but they were split 3-to-3 over whether Effler’s statement meant that he wanted a lawyer during his questioning. Since the high court justices were split, the appeals court decision is thrown out and the district court judgment to use Effler’s statement stands. 

Read the entire Supreme Court ruling in the Effler case. PDF.

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’s Huckstorf garners national award

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

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC