Jury hears tape of Donald Blom's confesssion

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Jurors in an Iron Range Courtroom heard a tape of Donald Blom confessing to abducting and killing Katie Poirier Thursday. The taped confession which Blom has since recanted, was a long-awaited and painful part of the prosecution's case. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports. { The Virginia courtroom was more crowded than usual, and Katie Poirier's friends and family wiped their eyes and gave each other supportive hugs as they heard Blom's voice describe taking the teenager from the convenience store where she was working alone late at night, driving to his nearby property, and strangling her. The tape was actually dominated by the voice of BCA investigator Paul Wagner, who conducted the interview. Blom said he'd been drinking that night and his memory of what happened hazy. Wagner had to lead him repeatedly through various episodes, trying to corroborate evidence provided by witnesses, or just trying to get Blom to recall exactly what happened.

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