Just an FYI as an Iowa attorney. First, Tama/Toledo (they are somewhat sister cities) aren't metropolitan even by Iowa standards. In those towns, lawyers make very modest money. Think 50K tops. So getting even a "prominent" lawyer from there isn't like getting a lawyer from Chicago or NYC. Second, court costs. Court costs for criminal defendants, especially murder in the first degree, are modest. In Iowa, this charge also carries with it restitution that the defendant would have to make. Rarely does that happen since most murderers tend to be dead beats and neither they or their estate can satisfy that amount, usually 100K. Mr. Rivera, at best, has a modest attorney. Even by Iowa standards, prominent attorneys are in Des Moines, Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City etc etc. Tama, not so much. That being said, I am hoping the State of Iowa does a competent prosecution and puts him in prison for life.