The man convicted of murdering American student Laken Riley in a case highlighted by Trump By Reuters
Written by Joseph Ax
(Reuters) – A Venezuelan immigrant has been convicted of murdering Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student whose killing sparked a rallying cry for US President-elect Donald Trump as he attacked illegal immigrants during the campaign.
Jose Ibarra, 26, who entered the US illegally, was found guilty of murder and other charges by Judge Patrick Haggard in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. As he read the verdict aloud, Riley’s family members and friends could be heard crying, while Ibarra sat staring at the stone.
Haggard heard testimony and ruled after Ibarra waived his right to a mistrial.
Trump and other Republicans often cite Riley’s killing to falsely claim that immigrants crossing the southern border illegally were guilty of violent crimes.
Prosecutors say Ibarra met Riley, 22, on a wooded trail while out jogging on Feb. 22 killed her after she rejected his attempts to rape her.
In her closing statement Wednesday, prosecutor Sheila Ross called the evidence against Ibarra “overwhelming,” including DNA under her fingernails that authorities linked to the defendant, scratches on Ibarra’s body and video of a man matching Ibarra’s description throwing a bloody jacket. disposer of property immediately after execution.
Defense lawyers argued that the evidence was circumstantial and could not rule out another assailant.
Riley’s case made national headlines in March when President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address, when the fiery U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene interrupted his speech to “say his name.”
Biden went off-script to talk about Riley, describing her as an innocent woman who was killed “unlawfully.” Republicans criticized him for appearing to mispronounce Riley’s name, and Biden apologized for using the word “illegal” to refer to the person.
Biden, who at the time was nominated for the position of president of the Democratic Alliance, withdrew from the race in July and was taken by Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost earlier this month to Trump.
Trump vowed to deport immigrants after he was sworn into office in January.
