Hunter
02/05/20
The Iowa Supreme Court has denied a request to suppress evidence in the trial of Christian Bahena Rivera, accused of killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts.
The Court denied the defense’s request for a discretionary review of the December decision by Judge Joel Yates to allow most evidence to be taken to trial. The defense argued that some evidence should be suppressed because Bahena-Rivera wasn’t Mirandized at first.
Judge Yates concluded that Bahena-Rivera’s statements were made voluntarily, he consented to a search of his car, and that law enforcement didn’t use language likely to induce a false confession.
Bahena remains in custody; a new trial date has yet to be set.