Hunter
05/26/21
Defense lawyers representing the man accused of stabbing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts to death in July 2018 made their opening statements in court Tuesday.
After declining to make an opening statement at the beginning of the trial last week, Cristhian Bahena Rivera’s attorneys said that police rushed their investigation and fingered their client to close the case. They brought witnesses to the stand to vouch for Bahena Rivera’s character, including an ex-girlfriend who gave birth to their daughter.Iris Gamboa says the man is a good father and good provider who never showed her any expressions of excessive anger.
A DNA expert often called for second opinions in criminal cases, and a fingerprinting specialist were also called as witnesses.
Tibbetts’ boyfriend, Dalton Jack, was called back to the stand and questioned about his relationship and future plans with the 20-year-old native of Brooklyn, Iowa. She disappeared during a run and it took authorities nearly a month to find her body in a cornfield after Bahena Rivera led them there.
Trial continues at 8:30 in Scott County.