THE JUDGE WHO PRESIDED OVER THE CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA MURDER CASE HAS AGAIN DENIED A REQUEST FOR A MISTRIAL IN THE CASE.
JUDGE JOEL YATES ISSUED A WRITTEN ORDER DENYING RIVERA’S ATTORNEY’S REQUEST FOR A MISTRIAL OF THE MAN CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN THE 2018 DEATH OF 20-YEAR-OLD MOLLIE TIBBETTS.
ATTORNEYS CHAD AND JENNIFER FRESE REQUESTED THE MISTRIAL BECAUSE A STATE’S WITNESS HAD VIEWED THE LIVE STREAMED COVERAGE OF THE TRIAL FROM A ROOM OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM.
JUDGE YATES ISSUED AN ORAL RULING DENYING THE MOTION DURING THE TRIAL.
SPECIFICALLY, THE COURT FOUND THAT NO PREJUDICE HAD RESULTED.
YATES INDICATED A WRITTEN RULING WOULD FOLLOW AND HELD TO HIS ORAL DECISION AND THAT NO FORMAL SEQUESTRATION OF WITNESS WAS EVER REQUESTED.
THE JUDGE ALSO CANCELED THE PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATION FOR THE CASE.
RIVERA WILL BE SENTENCED ON JULY 17TH IN POWESHIEK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT IN MONTEZUMA.
