Gazette Daily News Briefing, July 30
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Friday, July 30.
The weather is going to be a bit weird Friday. Widespread haze caused by massive forest fires on the west coast could thicken into areas of smoke after 4 p.m. When the sun does poke its way through, it is expected to be partly sunny, with a high near 81 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are likely Friday night into Saturday morning, but rainfall is not expected to be significant except in areas of thunderstorm development.
Jury deliberations that appeared headed for a mistrial instead brought emotions of relief for Chris Bagley’s family Thursday, as a jury eventually found Drew Blahnik guilty of his killing.
The jury deliberated for nearly three days before finding Blahnik, originally charged with first-degree murder, guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder in the 2018 killing. Jurors also found him guilty as charged of obstruction of prosecution and abuse of a corpse.
About an hour after they started Thursday morning, jurors sent a note to 6th Judicial District Judge Christopher Bruns, saying they were deadlocked because one juror wasn’t following the court’s instructions and the law. They said they took a vote and it was 11-1.
They initially said further deliberations wouldn’t help. But Judge Bruns, after talking with defense lawyers and prosecutors, sent a note back telling the jurors to continue deliberations to reach a unanimous verdict. The jury informed the court attendant it had a verdict after 3:30 p.m.
Iowa City police charged Andre Roberts Jr., 19, of Cedar Rapids after police said he fired several shots at the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on July 25.
He was charged with attempted murder, use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and carrying dangerous weapons while being ineligible to do so.
Police said the shooter fired several shots in an alley behind the Fieldhouse bar at about 1:10 a.m., striking a 24-year-old woman and 17-year-old man. Both sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The shooting occurred hours after the Iowa City Downtown Block Party concluded.
Police said the investigation into the shooting continues as it searches for others involved.
On Thursday night Joe Wieskamp and Luka Garza became the first two Iowa Hawkeyes drafted by NBA teams in the same year since 1998. Both were taken in the second round of the NBA Draft.
Wieskamp, a 6-foot-7 forward, decided to turn professional after his junior season with the Hawkeyes. He was taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the 41st pick of the draft.
Garza, the National Player of the Year in his senior season after surprising some by spurning the NBA to return to Iowa City, went 52nd, to the Detroit Pistons.
Iowa has not had a player selected in the first round since Ricky Davis, also in 1998.
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