Arterburn Murder Conviction Overturned

Bradly William Arterburn

Oskaloosa, Iowa- Bradley Arterburn’s 2012 conviction of 1st degree murder has been overturned and a new trial has been ordered. Judge Randy DeGeest handed down the ruling on September 2nd. However, a stay order on the ruling has also been issued by Judge DeGeest and a status hearing will be held on October 2nd.

Arterburn’s conviction was previously upheld by the Iowa Court of Appeals in a unanimous ruling. In that ruling, however, the court preserved two claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. Those claims were that Arterburn’s trial counsel had errored in not requesting a new venue for trial and that Arterburn’s trial counsel had errored in not striking a juror from the record who appeared to have a “preconceived notion” about the case. That ruling was handed down by the Iowa Court of Appeals on April 14th, 2014.

Bradley Arterburn was convicted of 1st degree murder on October 3rd, 2012. The conviction came after one day of deliberations and a week-long trial. During the trial, Arterburn claimed the insanity defense. Arterburn’s attorneys attempted to show that at the time of the murder, Arterburn was suffering from a flashback in which he could see a former abuser of his. Prosecutors rejected that claim, arguing that Arterburn had acted willfully and with premeditation. A jury of Arterburn’s peers ultimately sided with the prosecution.

No date for a retrial has been set.