Iowa trial court judge declares mistrial in murder case
April 14, 2010
Iowa: Judge Robert J. Blink of the Polk County Court declared the murder trial of Jarmaine Allen a mistrial based on the comments of a prospective juror. The juror had made comments, heard by the entire juror pool, which referenced a past court hearing involving Allen and, therefore, the judge decided, presented a threat to Allen's right to a fair trial. The comment the juror had made had pertained to a previous court ruling that had reversed Allen's murder conviction. This will be Allen's fourth first degree murder trial related to a gang shooting in 1995.[1]
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa
State courts:
Iowa Supreme Court • Iowa Court of Appeals • Iowa district courts
State resources:
Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa
