GUILTY IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #50

[Considering]

SBM

I've never read that Chad & Jennifer Frese were known to the family through church. We know that CBR had another private attorney before them so I was not surprised when another private team came forward. MOO

Here it is

“...in 2019, Chad Frese told the Register he's known members of Bahena Rivera's family for more than two decades, representing some in court and meeting others at church or around the community.”
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...ian-bahena-rivera-trial-davenport/5022951001/
Mollie Tibbetts case: Meet the key players in Bahena Rivera trial

 

[JudgeJudi]

I've never read that Chad & Jennifer Frese were known to the family through church.

The Freses married in 2018 and this is the first case they’ve taken on together since their marriage. They are both former prosecutors who now do criminal defense work, as well as other types of law.

In 2019, Chad Frese told the Register he's known members of Bahena Rivera's family for more than two decades, representing some in court and meeting others at church or around the community.

After his arrest, Bahena Rivera's family approached the Freses to represent him, pooling their money to pay for his defense. Jennifer Frese said that was the tipping point for her in deciding to take the case.

Mollie Tibbetts case: Meet the key players in Bahena Rivera trial

 

[Ragnarok]

This is taking too long! Can’t believe they got to someone on jury with that ridiculous story.

All it takes is one juror to disagree on guilt/not guilty or level of guilt. I'm hoping the latter and not the former. 6+ hours now seems excessive IMO.

 

[Bravo]

Well folks I tried and was even an hour later getting back here than I thought. I just may be here for this verdict. Good afternoon all.

 

[BUF]

Well folks I tried and was even an hour later getting back here than I thought. I just may be here for this verdict. Good afternoon all.

Thanks for trying. Welcome back.

 

[justtrish]

SBM



Here it is

“...in 2019, Chad Frese told the Register he's known members of Bahena Rivera's family for more than two decades, representing some in court and meeting others at church or around the community.”
Mollie Tibbetts case: Meet the key players in Bahena Rivera trial

Thank you! That is what I read yesterday! I couldn't find it this morning!

 

[geevee]

The Freses married in 2018 and this is the first case they’ve taken on together since their marriage. They are both former prosecutors who now do criminal defense work, as well as other types of law.

In 2019, Chad Frese told the Register he's known members of Bahena Rivera's family for more than two decades, representing some in court and meeting others at church or around the community.

After his arrest, Bahena Rivera's family approached the Freses to represent him, pooling their money to pay for his defense. Jennifer Frese said that was the tipping point for her in deciding to take the case.

Mollie Tibbetts case: Meet the key players in Bahena Rivera trial

Thanks JudgeJudi (and nice to see you)!

 

[Bordeaux]

His height and stature have always bothered me. You know how sometimes you wish you could will into being your thoughts? There is this part of me that wishes with everything I have I could go back and tell her not to go for that run or somehow change the outcome which leads me to this: he is such a pipsqueak (I remember the first time I saw him at the SO after his arrest, it stuck with me how tiny he was) and she was young, had a physically fit solid body, was athletic, etc. That it doesn't make sense she wouldn't have been able to overpower him unless it was a surprise attack. I think the wound that penetrated her skull was the first, a disabling attack from behind that he was somehow able to pull off. That's why there was only that much blood in the trunk, it was the only wound at the time, and why he saw her twitch when he opened it. The rest all happened at the cornfield.

Re: Comparative Strength
A man, especially one that is physically fit, with demented motivation or rage and a weapon, will usually overpower a woman… no matter how much we wish it were otherwise.

Re: Saving Mollie
Just yesterday, as I was sitting in a commercial parking lot in my car, reading this website and awaiting a verdict, when a female jogger ran by. She was young, wearing very small athletic shorts and a small sports bra (e.g. not much.) It was 92 outside in Florida! She was definitely a runner. The irony was strong.

What could you do? Tell her to stop? Tell her that she is at risk? Women run every day. Sadly, it is similar to airplane crashes. When tragedy strikes we all hear the news.

 

[justtrish]

If their issue is murder 1 or murder 2... I think his own testimony sealed that deal for me. He took the stand and told a BS story to try to worm his way out of this. He is calculating and knew what he was doing. He shows no remorse at all. He circled her like a predator and then went in for the kill. If we believe he disabled her at the road and then drove her to the cornfield.. he could have at any time stopped and dropped her off somewhere.. he went into the cornfield and raped her and stabbed her and left her. How is that not murder 1. He had at least 10-15 minutes while he drove her to the cornfield to stop and change his mind.. he clearly hurt her further at the cornfield. This is how my mind works. I don't know what the jurors are thinking, but I would have had more doubt if he didn't get on the stand and basically tell us exactly what he did to her (through these 2 masked men).

 

[MntnHiker]

Do we know if the jury is breaking for lunch? Or maybe working through it?

 

[PrairieWind]

Re: Comparative Strength
A man, especially one that is physically fit, with demented motivation or rage and a weapon, will usually overpower a woman… no matter how much we wish it were otherwise.

Re: Saving Mollie
Just yesterday, as I was sitting in a commercial parking lot in my car, reading this website and awaiting a verdict, when a female jogger ran by. She was young, wearing very small athletic shorts and a small sports bra (e.g. not much.) It was 92 outside in Florida! She was definitely a runner. The irony was strong.

What could you do? Tell her to stop? Tell her that she is at risk? Women run every day. Sadly, it is similar to airplane crashes. When tragedy strikes we all hear the news.

I think the fact that is not a big guy and Mollie was athletic shows that his initial attack was probably sudden and very violent. Though he isn't very big, he is working on a farm 12 hours a day. He is strong. But since she was running and had ear buds, it is quite possible he was able to pull up, run up behind her without her even knowing he was there. He could have hit her from behind with something and she would have never saw it coming. It was only ten minutes or so to the corn field. She may not have recovered by the time he got her there.

 

[TTF14]

Do we know if the jury is breaking for lunch? Or maybe working through it?

The CourtTV clock is still running, so I'm assuming they are working through lunch.

 

[Seattle1]

Prosecution, defense present closing arguments in Bahena Rivera murder trial

Updated: 7:08 AM CDT May 28, 2021

Bahena Rivera is charged with first-degree murder in the 2018 death of Mollie Tibbetts.

A jury will now decide his fate.

[..]

Prosecutor Scott Brown presented closing arguments for the state.

[..]

Brown recalled Bahena Rivera’s questioning by officer Pamela Romero, a native Spanish speaker.

“Does Pamela Romero have a lot of experience as an officer? No. But she speaks the same language,” Brown said.

Brown said the defendant testified he had no problem understanding her.

“We would love to show you the video, but we can't. We would need 12 native Spanish speakers to come in and understand it,” Brown said.

[..]

"He never puts two men in the Malibu," Brown said. Brown said Bahena Rivera had the ability to clean the Malibu between the crime and DCI finding it. There could have been more blood.

"Mollie's blood shouldn't have been in there anywhere," Brown said.

[..]

Defense attorney Chad Frese presented closing arguments on behalf of Bahena Rivera.

[..]

"Imagine the pressure to close this case," he said.

Frese then accused authorities of being “sloppy” in their investigation of the case.

"Some of this investigation was sloppy, but it really got sloppy when Cristhian Bahena Rivera was targeted," Frese said. "They closed a case, but they didn't solve a case."

[..]

Frese told jurors Bahena Rivera took authorities to Tibbetts' body to protect his daughter and her mother.

[..]

“Folks, there is serious doubt in this case. Serious doubt. Only verdict is not guilty,” Frese said in closing

[..]

Prosecution responds with rebuttal...

[..]

Brown closed, saying all of the evidence leads to a reasonable conclusion, that Bahena Rivera is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

________________

OP Noting that in the live, court streamed video of his closing statements, Prosecutor Brown repeats that CBR is guilty of 1st-degree murder. There's nothing in his closing that suggests the state has not met the burden for 1st degree and does not ever suggest CBR found guilty of a lesser charge. I believe the lesser conviction is only provided in the jury instructions.

 

[Bordeaux]

I think the fact that is not a big guy and Mollie was athletic shows that his initial attack was probably sudden and very violent. Though he isn't very big, he is working on a farm 12 hours a day. He is strong. But since she was running and had ear buds, it is quite possible he was able to pull up, run up behind her without her even knowing he was there. He could have hit her from behind with something and she would have never saw it coming. It was only ten minutes or so to the corn field. She may not have recovered by the time he got her there.

No. CBR confessed that Mollie threatened to call the police. There was dialog. Not a surprise attack.

 

[PrairieWind]

If their issue is murder 1 or murder 2... I think his own testimony sealed that deal for me. He took the stand and told a BS story to try to worm his way out of this. He is calculating and knew what he was doing. He shows no remorse at all. He circled her like a predator and then went in for the kill. If we believe he disabled her at the road and then drove her to the cornfield.. he could have at any time stopped and dropped her off somewhere.. he went into the cornfield and raped her and stabbed her and left her. How is that not murder 1. He had at least 10-15 minutes while he drove her to the cornfield to stop and change his mind.. he clearly hurt her further at the cornfield. This is how my mind works. I don't know what the jurors are thinking, but I would have had more doubt if he didn't get on the stand and basically tell us exactly what he did to her (through these 2 masked men).

I agree, this is clearly 1st degree. I wish the prosecution had spent some time discussing the trip TO the corn field. It seems that he grabbed and went directly there. So he must had known where he was taking her, ie had already scouted the location. clearly premeditation. I have gone round and round with this in my head, at first thinking he just saw her that evening and made a snap decision to grab her. But now I think it more likely that he had seen her running before, knew her routine and this was a planned attack.

 

[usnuzuloose]

No lunch break? I wonder if they are close

 

[MsArk]

Is anyone else a bit surprised (shocked?) that we don’t have a verdict in yet? CBR’s story about the ninja’s kidnapping him, etc was bizarre to me and wouldn’t sway my opinion. However, there were a few people in another group I am in that seemed to think it held some merit.

 

[PrairieWind]

No. CBR confessed that Mollie threatened to call the police. There was dialog. Not a surprise attack.

We only have his word to that.

 

[usnuzuloose]

they are probably working through lunch so they can get done

 

[justtrish]

Is anyone else a bit surprised (shocked?) that we don’t have a verdict in yet? CBR’s story about the ninja’s kidnapping him, etc was bizarre to me and wouldn’t sway my opinion. However, there were a few people in another group I am in that seemed to think it held some merit.

I just don't see any motive for that. WHO else wants a kind hearted young woman dead just for the sake of killing her and blaming it on him AND brings him along for the ride AND just leaves him with the body, his phone, her phone and his car, but they don't have any way out of there or to his house and they weren't seen or even worried about being seen in broad daylight because we all would just believe the undocumented worker did it because he drove past her and thought she was hot?