Courtney Crowder on Twitter
The defense is setting up a powerpoint as well.
10:51 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
We're back. Chad Frese doing defense closing.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
10:59 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"Where to begin," defense atty Chad Frese begins.
11:00 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Chad is giving the defense's closing. He starts with a thank you to the jury.
10:59 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
Frese: "The other thing I want to make clear: Mollie Tibbetts is...absolutely an innocent victim here. This woman was a spectacular young woman. She was destined to do great things."
@KCCINews
11:02 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese: "This young lady was on her way to being something special. No doubt about it. The loss of Mollie Tibbetts was tragic-and the reason I mention that, is because the loss of someone like that can evoke a lot of emotion, and it has evoked emotion"
@KCCINews
11:03 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
Frese says emotions have no place in the deliberation room. "You don't decide this case with emotions tugging at your heartstrings."
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
11:03 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Reminds jurors it's not their job to bring justice for Mollie, bring punishment. "Your job is to do justice. Period. Full stop."
11:04 AM · May 27, 2021·
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The analysis is whether the State and the resources they produced have brought forth enough evidence to prove this case and each element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt, he says.
11:05 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
"Your job is to do justice...to provide a logical, analytical, almost surgical" look at the facts.
11:05 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese brings up picture of Cristhian Bahena Rivera at 17 w/his cousins. Says Mollie deserves justice but so does Bahena Rivera.
11:06 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
"Mollie Tibbetts deserves justice, so too does Cristhian Bahena," Frese says.
11:06 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese mentions that since July 2018 we've lived through a pandemic, tornadoes, derechos.
11:07 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Brooklyn, Iowa, was a "circus" after Mollie disappears, he says.
11:08 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Says within days, local law enforcement, federal agencies, Homeland Security, national news orgs, etc. was in Brooklyn, Iowa "a town of 1,400 people." "It was a circus," Frese says. "For a missing 20-year-old jogger. And we didn't even know if she was dead yet."
11:08 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"That is unprecedented. Why do I tell you that? I tell you that because I want to harken back to Mr. Klaver's opening statement. He says the DCI comes to town and kicks off an extensive investigation."
11:09 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"[...] And every lead came up empty after what he calls exhaustive and extensive investigation."
11:09 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Some of that investigation was sloppy, but it really became sloppy when Mr. Bahena got involved. Because folks, what happened was they closed a case but they didn't solve a case."
11:10 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
DCI, Homeland Security, FBI, all these people were in town, Frese said, and they had nothing. "Imagine the pressure to close this case." "That's the context in which this arrest and this charge happened."
11:10 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Some of the investigation was sloppy, but it really got sloppy when Cristhian Bahena Rivera was targeted."
11:10 AM · May 27, 2021·
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They agree that CBR was in the Malibu and that the car was on the security footage near/around Mollie. They agree that Mollie's blood was in the trunk. Tho they point out that others' blood is in the trunk, too.
11:12 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese calls the finding of the surveillance video "was good police work." Says they won't deny that's CBR's car and that's him in the video. But says prosecution didn't mention that blood found in CBR's car had a mixture of DNA.
11:12 AM · May 27, 2021·
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** I want to add here that a mixture of DNA in that blood stain DOES NOT MEAN a mixture of blood. I've seen that confused in a few online comments. It just means that the major contributor was Mollie and they believe it's her blood, but that other DNA was present.
11:13 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"A loaded pistol in the little hanging cabinet on the wall with several knives, hunting-style knives. Bet you if they would've looked, they would've found one w/camouflage handle. But they didn't bother to look."
11:14 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
What is missing? We don't have a murder weapon. They are pointing out that the Jack house had hunting style knives and a loaded gun. "If they looked they may have found one with a camouflage handle." <-- CBR said this at yesterday.
11:14 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese brings up homes and traffic on 385th St. where it's believed Mollie was killed. Says a lot of blood wasn't found there. "Oh I forgot - it rained. [...] They have an excuse for every piece of evidence they don't have."
11:15 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"They'll find an excuse for everything. That's not Mr. Bahena's problem. [...] They had resources from the federal government. They had a drone up in the air. [...] They had unlimited resources." "And they can't even tell you where she was killed."
11:17 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
He says that we dont have a primary crime scene - was it the side of the road where she was running or was it in the cornfield.
11:16 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Also says where is all the blood? She was stabbed so violently that there should be blood all over.
11:16 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"No evidence came off that stand as to where she was killed."
11:17 AM · May 27, 2021·
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There are no eyewitnesses. None.
11:18 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Chad attacking the motive: "This man, right here, 5'7" 120 pound illegal immigrant, undocumented immigrant, gets angry at Mollie Tibbetts...and resorts to killing her."
11:19 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"The only evidence we do have about Cristhian is that he is not an angry man, that he is not violent."
11:19 AM · May 27, 2021·
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That is true. Court TV at one point talked about witness(es) that the state had who were going to talk about CBR's anger. We never got those witnesses.
11:20 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"The concept that he got angry, killed a woman who he had just met deifies any logic."
11:20 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese says the defense refutes any claim that CBR's statements are a confession.
11:18 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese hits palm to fist several times when recounting claim from prosecution that Bahena Rivera stabbed Tibbetts 9 or 12 times because he was angry.
11:20 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Says we can probably all say we've asked someone out, talked to them and been rejected. "Common sense tells you you're not going to just stab that person."
11:20 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Says having evidence in the trunk and carrying her into cornfield "does not mean he killed her."
11:21 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"That is what's missing," he says. Adds that's where reasonable doubt lies.
11:21 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"Don't oversimplify and make it sound like he has to prove anything," Frese says. That's their burden - points to prosecution table.
11:22 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"You can't just think he did this, you have to know that he did this," based on State's evidence. "You best know, you best not think he did this."
11:23 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Going through evidence the State produced: drop of blood on seal, DNA in trunk, body in cornfield he took them to. Says they don't dispute this.
11:25 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"This was an 11-hour interrogation. Eleven hours. After he had worked a full day."
11:25 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Element 2 -- Mollie died as result of the stabbing -- they admit to that.
11:24 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Element 1 in the state's case: 1. They have her blood in the trunk of his car. 2. CBR took them to the body. But to believe the state, the defense says, you have to believe the Spanish-speaking officer.
11:25 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Why did he take them to the body? He was protecting his daughter and her mother, Frese says.
11:26 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"He voluntarily agrees to go speak. He complies. He's a yes man."
11:26 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"He tells them enough to take them to the body. Why'd he do that? To protect his own."
11:26 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese says Agent Vileta was "calling him a liar," another officer was yelling at him during questioning. Points out that jury didn't get to watch the video.
11:27 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"These guys are the best of the best we have," he says of agents involved. "And they send in Pamela Romero. A cop that had a total of about 2 1/2 years of experience whose training was only the academy and 16 hours, 16 hours of interview and interrogation."
11:28 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"They sent the most inexperienced officer they could to a marathon interrogation" in high profile case "because she was a native Spanish speaker.
11:29 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Investigators had the FBI and Homeland Security and all these people and they decide to use an officer with 12 hours of training, Frese says. "They sent the most inexperienced officer they could into a marathon interrogation with a suspect in a homicide case."
11:29 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Says even if she speaks the language she may not be the best at translating, interpreting.
11:30 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"Now the State can sit at the table, sit behind the curtain" because the questioning was in Spanish. Says no doubt it would've been played if it was in English.
11:31 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"That's a problem. That's sloppy."
11:31 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese says investigators repeatedly told CBR they weren't from immigration so "he'd be at ease, he'd open up." "When he didn't give them what he wanted they called immigration. [...] They weren't there for immigration until they were."
11:32 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"They wear him down. You heard Cristhian say they said things to him, Pamela Romero say, 'Help yourself.' 'Help yourself, Cristhian.'"
11:33 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Finally she says, 'Cristhian, think about the family. Think about that little girl.' And that's when he relents. [...] That's when he gives the story that was spoon-fed to him."
11:34 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Again, they had the full resources of the federal government and they couldn't give you" the full video "because it was in Spanish."
11:35 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"What a colossal blunder," Frese says after saying Pamela Romero had never done a homicide interview before.
11:35 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Not a speck of premeditation."
11:37 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"That's even if you buy the State's theory."
11:37 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese skips over explaining elements necessary to prove involuntary and voluntary manslaughter. "You folks are smart."
11:38 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"They provided you evidence of one cell phone tower on Mollie Tibbetts?" Frese points to CBR. "What about his cell phone tower. Where are Dalton Jack's phone records?"
11:40 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Where are Dalton Jack's cell tower records?
11:40 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"No, let's bring in his boss who's going to testify for him." "We tried to talk about his text messages with Jordyn Lamb, text messages with Mollie Tibbetts. Why on earth would you not bring up Dalton Jack's phone records if he truly worked in Dubuque until 7 pm."
11:41 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"You can infer from their lack of providing that evidence that it was damaging to them."
11:41 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
The state cannot produce for you a video of CBR from the Sheriff's office to Mollie's body.
11:43 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese pointing out there's on video of CBR at the cornfield, no dash cam, no cellphone video. "We don't have that. Why not? I'll tell you why not. Because they had nothing for four weeks." Says investigators got excited and rushed to close the case.
11:45 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"'I brought you here, didn't I?' Question mark. 'That means I did it, doesn't it?' Question mark." Says the State can fight the punctuation, meaning but it matters.
11:46 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
A confession needs to be more than, "I brought you here didn't I?" Defense says
11:46 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"Why did they cut the corners that they cut?" Defense asks
11:47 AM · May 27, 2021·
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CBR's story makes as much sense as the story "That an undocumented immigrant runs up alongside Mollie Tibbetts on a highway in broad daylight, gets angry and decides to stab her." defense says.
11:49 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese says Mr. Brown says Bahena Rivera's story yesterday was a "result of knowing what the evidence was and having time to rehearse."
11:49 AM · May 27, 2021·
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State objects to a part of Frese's closing involving the timing of when Mollie was seen by Steward, when she was seen on video, cell phone data.
11:50 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"In that short time frame, could he have killed this woman? [...] That makes no sense."
11:50 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese: He works 75 hours a week, when he's not working he sees his kid, he has a date the next day. You really want to believe that this undocumented immigrant who has avoided law enforcement and uses false name John Bud at work would be brazen enough to do this?
11:52 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"What the problem is with the DNA is exactly what the reports tell us. [...] The investigators and the lab didn't test the trunk liners until a year later at Mr. Brown's request."
11:53 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"We're glad Mr. Brown asked for that. It gave us some very compelling findings." DNA not from CBR or Tibbetts in trunk, unknown male, unknown female, mixture of three people.
11:55 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"They were in that room to see if anyone else was in that room, yet they did nothing to get DNA to exclude people," Frese says of testing can in Mollie's room at Jack home.
11:56 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Defense is moving to DNA - They didnt test anyone's DNA except for CBR, Mollie and all the people are Yarrabee Farms.
11:57 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese: Dalton Jack was publicly cleared July 25th but brought in for questioning again the 27th and admitted he lied.
11:57 AM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Now we are moving to Dalton Jack. Why did the state call Dalton Jack as a witness???
11:59 AM · May 27, 2021·
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"We wasnt a witness...What did he know really?" "They knew he was a problem. They knew from the jump this guy was a problem."
12:00 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
"Remember Mr. Jack didnt want to be here. He didnt even want to be here to make sure that the love of his life got justice."
12:01 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Defense claims that he was losing control of Mollie, "she was going to fly." He was angry and he had a history of fighting.
12:02 PM · May 27, 2021·
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They've presented no receipts, no tangible proof of Dalton's whereabouts, the defense says.
12:02 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
They've presented no receipts, no tangible proof of Dalton's whereabouts, the defense says.
12:02 PM · May 27, 2021·
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The connection between Dalton Jack and CBR is a high schooler who knew both the Tibbetts family and was a relative of CBR's girlfriend.
12:03 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
Frese now talking about Dalton Jack, saying he still can't remember his actions on July 18th.
12:05 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"Jamie Slife came in to testify because you needed to hear what she had to say. Law enforcement would not," Frese says. "Someone said [Pexa] was a 'maniac.' Someone said he had a torture room."
12:07 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
Now talking about Ron Pexa and testimony from his daughter. "Did (he) have anything to do with the demise of Mollie Tibbetts? We don't know." But they didn't look into him thoroughly.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
#bahenariveratrial
12:07 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Says law enforcement "took care of their own" because of Pexa's law enforcement experience. "Cristhian Bahena Rivera was taking care of his own" -- his ex-gf and his daughter. @KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:08 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Talking about names of other men that they brought up throughout trial.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:09 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Courtney Crowder on Twitter
Now pointing to the farmer who lives near the property who was an abuser. And then the guy who was mowing cemeteries at both locations. Continuing their pointing out of other suspects.
12:09 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Shannon Moudy on Twitter
We've had at least three objections from the State during this closing. The defense never objected during the prosecution closing.
12:11 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
Now talking about the interrogation again, and exhaustion as they go through the jury instructions. They are on 30/36.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:12 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese brings up character evidence -- saying all character evidence shows CBR is non-violent and a hardworker.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:12 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
"Remember you are the judges of the facts. Your sole duty is to find the truth and do justice," Frese's slide to jurors says.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:13 PM · May 27, 2021·
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"You saw him testify. You saw him credibly testify," Frese says of CBR.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:14 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Frese says police needed to close case. "Who better to pick" than undocumented immigrant who has no one to help him.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
#bahenariveratrial
12:14 PM · May 27, 2021·
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Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
Folks, there is serious doubt in this case. Serious doubt. Only verdict is not guilty. Defense closing over.
@KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
12:15 PM · May 27, 2021·
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