(CNN) An Iowa man accused of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old has been freed after county attorney Michelle Murphy Rivera was arrested for being drunk in court. A judge in Clarke County dismissed the case, saying the defendant didn't get a trial within a year of his arrest -- as mandated by Iowa's right to speedy trial law. A timeline included in the judge's response indicates that Rivera was slow to get back to the defense team on several occasions. It is unclear whether attorneys for defendants from other cases Michelle Murphy Rivera has prosecuted have filed similar motions. Rivera, a Democrat, lost her re-election bid for county attorney in November after serving two four-year terms.

Source: CNN December 21, 2018 01:19 UTC