Both Sides Seek Delay in Cristhian Rivera's Murder Trial Over COVID-19

POWESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa - Attorneys of both sides want to delay Cristhian Rivera's trial for the murder of Mollie Tibbetts.

Rivera's charged with first-degree murder for Tibbetts’ 2018 death.

The trial is currently scheduled for September 29th in Woodbury County, but both the state and Rivera's attorney have filed a joint motion to have it delayed until January 26th, 2021.

Both sides are concerned about social distancing, an expected "glut of cases" following the COVID-19 pandemic and how interpreters can perform when all parties are wearing a mask.

Lawyers for both sides filed their joint motion Monday.

Tibbetts, a 20-year-old University of Iowa student, disappeared while jogging in her hometown of Brooklyn in July of 2018, and was found just over a month later when police say Rivera led them to her body in a cornfield.

The trial is being held in Woodbury County because of pretrial publicity.


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