Hunter
05/06/21
Both the prosecution and defense filed motions ahead of this month’s murder trial in the case of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts.
The Daily Iowan reports that lawyers for Christhian Bahena Rivera are asking the court to prohibit the introduction of Bahena-Rivera’s prior criminal convictions at trial; prohibit officers describing his behavior as suspicious, strange or incriminating if called to testify; and prohibit the jury from using any transcript of any interview played in court.
Meanwhile, prosecutors are asking the court to prohibit the defense from making any statements to the jury about the length of punishment and prevent the defense from referencing the administration polygraph examinations.
Prosecutors are also asking to hold a pretrial for any witness called to testify about the statement of Bahena-Rivera or any statements being made on behalf of the defendant, among other requests.
Trial is set to begin a week from Monday, May 17th, at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport. If convicted of the August 2018 slaying of Tibbetts, Bahena-Rivera could be sentenced to life in prison.