MSNBC headline saying ‘Laken Riley’s killer never stood a chance’ sparks backlash

MSNBC.com faced backlash after publishing a headline stating, “Laken Riley’s killer never stood a chance,” which many interpreted as sympathetic to the murderer. Mike Lee, R-Utah, criticized the headline as showing sympathy for the murderer, while commentator Adam Johnston called it a troubling framing of the conviction.
Georgia-based activist Debbie Dooley and others expressed outrage, emphasizing that Laken Riley was the one who truly never stood a chance against her killer. MSNBC’s article made the point that the verdict for Jose Ibarra, who was convicted on multiple counts of murder and other crimes and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, was “never in doubt,” as it was a “hopeless case” for the defense team.