116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Trish Mehaffey
Reporter covering state and federal courts, and whatever legal issues come my way. I also provide live coverage of criminal trials on Twitter @tmehaffey and welcome comments and questions from readers during the trials. Outside of work I love movies, tennis and my Kansas State Wildcats! Go Cats! Stay informed with the Public Safety newsletter.
Latest Articles by Trish Mehaffey
Crime & Courts Aug. 12, 2021 8:45 am1618d ago
Marion man will spend 1 year in federal prison for stealing pistol last year when he worked at Fleet Farm. The incident was captured on store video.
Crime & Courts Aug. 10, 2021 11:12 am1620d ago
A judge ruled in favor of an Indiana man who asked the court not to combine his harassment case with his first-degree murder case. Prosecutors argued the harassment charge shows a motive for fatally shooting Tommy Curry, who was allegedly lured to his death by a “date,” n April 28.
Crime & Courts Aug. 9, 2021 1:09 pm1621d ago
Cedar County online predator sentenced to 10 years for child porn involving 13-year-old Minnesota girl, who he kidnapped and sexually assaulted last year.
Crime & Courts Aug. 8, 2021 8:13 am1622d ago
Drew Wagner — convicted for holding down Chris Bagley as another man stabbed him to death in December 2018 — was sentenced Friday to 47 years in prison. He was given the maximum sentences on lesser charges.
Crime & Courts Aug. 6, 2021 12:55 pm1624d ago
Anamosa inmate, Thomas Woodard, pleaded guilty to two first-degree murder charges, and one each of attempted murder and second-degree kidnapping. He faces two life sentences without chance for parole.
Crime & Courts Aug. 8, 2021 9:36 am1622d ago
Vehicular homicide trial for Urbana man who ran over woman in parking lot in 2019 is now reset to next year. Witnesses told police he rapidly accelerated in reverse, hitting and killing a Center Point woman.
Crime & Courts Aug. 3, 2021 5:49 pm1627d ago
Cedar Rapids man, who confessed to killing Dexter Meeks and trying to kill his brother in 2011, provided a false confession. He was in the Clinton County Jail at the time.
Crime & Courts Aug. 3, 2021 7:37 pm1627d ago
One of the Anamosa inmates, Thomas Allen Woodard, charged in bludgeoning a correctional officer and registered nurse in March, will plead Friday in Jones County.
Crime & Courts Aug. 3, 2021 9:19 am1627d ago
“Not everything smells rotten but this stinks to it’s core, lawyer David O’Brien says after receiving a state patrol report that confirms dash cam video wasn’t activated in Colesburg man’s fatal motorcycle crash.
Crime & Courts Aug. 2, 2021 2:02 pm1628d ago
Federal judge sentences Iowa man to 10 years for cyberstalking a woman after she broke up with him. He started out sending her harassing texts and emails and then set up fake Facebook profiles about her with sexually explicit photos and information.
Crime & Courts Jul. 30, 2021 7:37 am1631d ago
Drew Blahnik was convicted of the lesser charge of second-degree murder and two other charges in the fatal stabbing of Chris Bagley in 2018. He faces up to 54 years in prison.
Crime & Courts Jul. 29, 2021 4:37 pm1632d ago
After nearly three days of deliberations, the jury has reached a verdict in Drew Blahnik’s murder trial in the death of Chris Bagley.
Crime & Courts Jul. 29, 2021 5:32 pm1632d ago
An Anamosa prison inmate, charged with killing a prison officer and registered nurse, will not have a bench trial next week. He waived his speedy trial right Thursday and wants its reset to a later date.
Crime & Courts Jul. 28, 2021 9:43 pm1633d ago
No verdict reached after two days of jury deliberations in Drew Blahnik trial. The Linn County jury will continue Thursday. Blahnik is accused of killing Chris Bagley in 2018.
Crime & Courts Jul. 29, 2021 8:42 am1632d ago
The Cedar Rapids man accused of fatally shooting his parents and sister last month pleaded not guilty and his trial is set for Jan. 25.

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