Cristhian Rivera, the man accused of first-degree murder in the death of Mollie Tibbetts, has changed lawyers. Court documents filed Sunday and Monday show Rivera consented to the withdrawal of his attorney, Allan Richards of Tama, and the rescindment of several motions Richards had filed.
Court documents filed Sunday and Monday show Rivera consented to the withdrawal of his attorney, Allan Richards of Tama, and the rescindment of several motions Richards had filed. He will be represented instead by Chad Frese and Jennifer Frese, of the Marshalltown firms Kaplan and Frese LLP and Johnson, Bonzer and Barnaby PLC, documents show.
Rivera Worked for a Family Farm Tied to a Prominent Iowa Republican & the Company Says He Was Vetted Through the Federal Governmentâs âE-Verifyâ System Cristhian Rivera. Cristhian Bahena Rivera worked at Yarrabee Farms for four years and was an employee in good standing, the farm told The Associated Press.
Cristhian Bahena Rivera has been arrested in the death of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts. The 20-year-old jogger from Brooklyn, Iowa, was found dead the morning of August 21, more than a month after she went missing in a case that drew nationwide attention.
Defense attorney Jennifer Frese said Tuesday they believe there to be an organized sex trafficking ring in central Iowa that might be connected to Mexican drug cartels.
After the verdict was read, Defense Attorneys Chad and Jennifer Frese said they did not regret having Bahena Rivera testify.
Defense attorneys Chad and Jennifer Frese claimed that new witnesses have identified new possible suspects and alleged the state failed to disclose information about other cases they believe to be similar to Tibbetts' disappearance â a charge prosecutors vehemently deny.
In documents filed on Sunday and Monday, Rivera withdrew his former attorney, Allan Richards, as well as several motions Richards had filed. Instead, he will now be represented by Chad Frese and Jennifer Frese.
Chad Frese has practiced criminal law for 25 years and does criminal defense work, while Jennifer Frese has been a criminal defense lawyer for 10 years. 2. This isn't their first case together. Though theyâve worked together in the past, theyâve never worked a case like this.
In an interview, Frese defended his post and said he wasnât giving an opinion; rather, he was speaking to the law, saying that anyone who is accused of a crime âis deserving of a full and fair defense. â .
Richards had initially filed the motion before being dismissed. âItâs not something Chad and I would have requested if we were on the case initially, so thatâs the reason weâre withdrawing it,â Frese commented.
Local 5 is verifying if Bahena Rivera has the right to a speedy trial. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been ...
So Local 5 can verify: I fBahena Rivera wants a speedy trial, it's within his rights under the Constitution. However, he's also allowed to waive that right and have a trial at a later date. Below is a June 2019 court document Bahena Rivera signed, waiving his right to a speedy trial. scribd.
Local 5 can verify: Bahena Rivera is being defended by Chad and Jennifer Frese, a private legal team based in Marshalltown.
In July, KCCI reported that the state of Iowa had paid more than $12,000 to hire an interpreter for Bahena Rivera. He is accused of murdering Mollie Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student, while she was on a run in Brooklyn, Iowa. Advertisement.
According to court documents, Rivera has no job. The only monthly payment he recorded was a $270 car payment per month. Through this forum, the courts found that he was indigent, or poor. In September 2018, the judge granted Bahena Rivera a stipend of $5,000 to hire investigators. In March 2019, he was granted a stipend of $3,200 for an expert.
In documents for appointing an interpreter, "a judge may charge some or all of the fees paid by the [State Court Administrator's Directive] or LPD for an indigent defendant's oral language interpreter to the defendant.".