Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #49

[Alethea]

I don't know if I can watch the defense's closing, I hate lawyers that make things up! It makes the rest of us look bad!

 

[PrairieWind]

CBR looks very nervous today. Which is understandable. The rest of his life hangs in the balance of what is said today. It sucks to be in that position, but he is the one that put himself there.

 

[yorkiemommy]

I think the pros. closing did a great job. Guilty in the 1st.Justice for Mollie

 

[MsBetsy]

This may sound weird, but the attorneys probably are actually disinterested. They don't really care what the prosecutor puts out in closing. They know what he will say. They already have scripted their own closing. Presentations at this point are pretty much on autopilot. The prosecutor will however listen closely to the defense closing to see if there is anything he needs to re-address.

I thought I saw them smile when the prosecutor said, "When you hear the sound of thundering hooves, think horses, not zebras."

Their "client" wasn't smiling, though. This is the first time I've seen him looking so nervous and panicky.

 

[Harvath]

Agreed. They certainly aren't as chatty with one another as I have previously seen them during the proceedings. Very little eye contact, not a lot of communication between the two of them today. Their closing should be..... interesting?

I fully expect the defense closing to be a clown show. Defense att. are going to do what they do...its their job. But these two....in this case? I honestly wouldn't put anything past them....they have already had multiple almost laughable stretches of ones imagination.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtney Crowder on Twitter
The defense is setting up a powerpoint as well.
10:51 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

Chris Gothner KCCI on Twitter
We're back. Chad Frese doing defense closing. @KCCINews #bahenariveratrial
10:59 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

Shannon Moudy on Twitter
"Where to begin," defense atty Chad Frese begins.
11:00 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

 

[katydid23]

I don't know if I can watch the defense's closing, I hate lawyers that make things up! It makes the rest of us look bad!

I hear ya. I am so curious to see what they say. Are they really going to lay out that same scenario again? In their own words, about them waiting while he was in the shower, and one guy w/knife, one guy w/gun, makes him go find the jogger....OH WAIT---the video timing showed he was lying----NOW WHAT?????

 

[justtrish]

I don't know if I can watch the defense's closing, I hate lawyers that make things up! It makes the rest of us look bad!

Do you think they believe him? If they don't believe him do they still have to defend him? If they know for a fact that his story isn't true, are they allowed to let him testify to it? I just really can't believe anyone believes that story without there actually being 2 men that had a motive to do this that would randomly pick him to be the scapegoat and not a single other person can say they saw 2 strange men on the road walking, at his house, after the fact on the road, nothing.

 

[ugh]

Thank you Mr. Frese for wasting 3 minutes telling everyone how important their time is.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Why all the negativity toward the closing by the state? Not enough entertainment? Drama? Made for TV antics?? Maybe the defense will provide that......

I didn’t want TV drama. I think I was looking for a little more passion. This whole trial has been focused on the defendant and faux suspects and very cut and dried scientific evidence. I wanted him to focus more on Mollie, what was done to Mollie, what was taken from her and her family and her community. It’s almost like she is forgotten in all of this. She’s a name. She’s a body. She’s some DNA in a trunk. Yes, we were told how nice and bubbly she was...but look what was done to her! Where’s the outrage?! I guess I, just me, for myself, needed to hear someone really show some emotion on what was done to Mollie.

edit: typo

 

[Warwick7]

I really wish the State would put down the facts and sit down. The jury does not need to be told this repeatedly.

Side note-pet peeve-will get to that in a minute-I'll discuss that in a bit-we will talk more about that at a later time-

The state did just what you asked.
He is doing just what he should be doing.

 

[PommyMommy]

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·Twitter Web App

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·Twitter Web App

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·Twitter Web App

 

[d4j]

Thank you Mr. Frese for wasting 3 minutes telling everyone how important their time is.

Exactly!

 

[PommyMommy]

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·Twitter Web App

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·Twitter Web App

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·Twitter Web App

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·Twitter Web App

 

[TTF14]

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·Twitter Web App

Then why did they spend so much time on trying to make everyone feel bad about his long "interrogation," immigration status, and long/hard work hours??

 

[PrairieWind]

Do you think they believe him? If they don't believe him do they still have to defend him? If they know for a fact that his story isn't true, are they allowed to let him testify to it? I just really can't believe anyone believes that story without there actually being 2 men that had a motive to do this that would randomly pick him to be the scapegoat and not a single other person can say they saw 2 strange men on the road walking, at his house, after the fact on the road, nothing.

Do they believe him? Who knows. it doesn't matter. Their job is to zealously defend their client. It is a tough job sometimes. You are no supposed to allow someone to testify to something you KNOW if false. Did they? We wont know. As I have always been taught, and try to live by and remind myself every single day, and we tell our young attorneys, "Dont ever believe your clients. Believe what the evidence shows."

 

[PommyMommy]

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·Twitter Web App

Courtney Crowder on Twitter
"Mollie Tibbetts deserves justice, so too does Cristhian Bahena," Frese says.
11:06 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

Frese mentions that since July 2018 we've lived through a pandemic, tornadoes, derechos.
11:07 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

Brooklyn, Iowa, was a "circus" after Mollie disappears, he says.
11:08 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

 

[PommyMommy]

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·Twitter Web App

"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·Twitter Web App

"[...] And every lead came up empty after what he calls exhaustive and extensive investigation."
11:09 AM · May 27, 2021·Twitter Web App

"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·Twitter Web App

 

[geevee]

A confession with evidence to back it up isn't enough to close a case?

 

[katydid23]

"Mollie Tibbetts deserves justice, so too does Cristhian Bahena," Frese says.



Oh My Lord---is he serious right now?