The man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial where a judge will determine his guilt or innocence. Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, appeared in court Tuesday, Nov. 12, speaking through a translator to confirm his decision.
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Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard approved the waiver and emphasized that the decision cannot be reversed.
Ibarra is charged with the Feb. 22, 2024, murder of Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University. Prosecutors allege he attacked Riley while she was jogging along trails on the University of Georgia campus, striking her with an object before dragging her body to a secluded area to conceal the crime.
Emergency responders attempted to revive Riley after she was reported missing by a friend but pronounced her dead at the scene.
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In addition to the murder charges, Ibarra faces allegations of kidnapping with bodily injury and aggravated assault with intent to rape.
He is also charged in an earlier incident that same day, where he allegedly spied on a university staff member through a window. Prosecutors successfully argued to keep the charges linked, calling the two incidents closely connected.
Ibarra, an undocumented migrant from Venezuela, illegally crossed into the United States in 2022 through El Paso, Texas. His immigration status has drawn national attention, and made the case a flashpoint in debates over border policy.
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Riley’s death has also inspired the proposed “Laken Riley Act,” which would mandate stricter detention policies for undocumented individuals accused of serious crimes.
The act, introduced earlier this year, would allow states to sue the federal government for releasing undocumented individuals from custody under certain circumstances.
Jury selection for the trial would have originally begun Wednesday, Nov. 13, but with recent developments, the bench trial will start Friday, Nov. 15. If convicted, Ibarra faces life in prison.
[Karah Rucker]
THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING GEORGIA NURSING STUDENT LAKEN RILEY HAS WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL. INSTEAD, 26-YEAR-OLD JOSE ANTONIO IBARRA WILL FACE A BENCH TRIAL, LEAVING A JUDGE TO DETERMINE HIS GUILT OR INNOCENCE.
IBARRA APPEARED IN COURT TUESDAY, SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR TO CONFIRM HIS DECISION. THE JUDGE APPROVING THE WAIVER, EMPHASIZING THAT THE CHOICE CANNOT BE REVERSED.
PROSECUTORS ALLEGE IBARRA ATTACKED AND KILLED 22-YEAR-OLD RILEY, A NURSING STUDENT AT AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY, WHILE SHE WAS JOGGING ON THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CAMPUS IN FEBRUARY. THEY SAY HE STRUCK HER WITH AN OBJECT, THEN MOVED HER BODY TO A SECLUDED AREA TO HIDE THE CRIME. RILEY WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AFTER EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE UNABLE TO REVIVE HER.
THE CASE HAS GAINED NATIONAL ATTENTION, PARTLY BECAUSE OF IBARRA’S IMMIGRATION STATUS. THE VENEZUELAN MIGRANT ENTERED THE U.S. ILLEGALLY IN 2022, FUELING DEBATES OVER BORDER POLICY. HE NOW FACES CHARGES OF MURDER, KIDNAPPING WITH BODILY INJURY, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO RAPE.
IBARRA IS ALSO ACCUSED OF SPYING ON A UNIVERSITY STAFF MEMBER EARLIER THAT SAME DAY, AN ALLEGATION TIED TO A “PEEPING TOM” CHARGE. PROSECUTORS ARGUED THE CHARGES ARE CLOSELY LINKED, AND THE COURT ALLOWED THEM TO REMAIN PART OF THE CASE.
THIS TRAGEDY HAS ALSO INSPIRED THE PROPOSED “LAKEN RILEY ACT,” WHICH AIMS TO ENFORCE STRICTER DETENTION RULES FOR UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF SERIOUS CRIMES.
JURY SELECTION IN IBARRA’S TRIAL WAS SET TO BEGIN WEDNESDAY.NOW THE BENCH TRIAL WILL BEGIN ON FRIDAY.
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