IA- Iowa appeals court grants sex offenders new trial

4-22-2009 Iowa:

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld rulings that grant two sex offenders new trials after a key witness against them admitted an addiction to child pornography.

The cases involve Paul Blaise, committed as a sexually violent predator in 2005 in Lee County, and Clay Spears, committed as a sexually violent predator in 2007 in Scott County.

Testifying at their commitment trials was North Dakota psychologist Joseph Belanger. He quit his job after child pornography images were found on his computer. He was later convicted on child pornography charges.

Blaise and Spears filed motions for new trials arguing that the state's expert was "an admitted mentally ill pedophile."

The appeals court Wednesday upheld the district court decisions granting new trials. ..News Source.. by WXOW