Boone County Confidential

State v. Blair, no. 08-0792 (Iowa Ct. App. July 2, 2009).

Hill called 911 saying he'd shot himself and died shortly thereafter. An investigation revealed that Blair and Hill's wife had been having an affair. A deputy who knew Blair and had been a family friend and one time foster parent brought Blair in for two separate interviews, and in the second interview Blair confessed to his involvement in Hill's demise.

Charged with first degree murder, Blair moved to suppress his confession. Blair argued that his confession was involuntary and he was improperly promised leniency.

The Court of Appeals found that although the deputy used his prior relationship with Blair to elicit a confession, it did not amount to coercive conduct or the abuse of a relationship.

In addition, statements of a DCI operative did not amount to impermissible promises of leniency.

Back in March, we reported on the fact that the court of appeals had affirmed the suppression of statements made by the black widow at the center of this web, Jessica Hill. That's under review at the Supreme Court on the theory that one good appeal deserves another.