illegal immigrants Georgia nursing student charged with murder of Laken Riley He appeared in court on Friday for a lengthy hearing ahead of his trial next month.
Venezuelan immigrant Jose Ibarra, whose family has ties to the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang, wore a white striped shirt and headphones to translate as the hearing began on four motions to prepare for trial. Scheduled to start on 13th November With jury selection.
The 26-year-old is accused of killing the Augusta University College nursing student while she was on a morning run on the Athens campus in February — a case that became a flashpoint on immigration when it emerged that Ibarra came to the U.S. illegally. Had entered but was still released.
Judge H. Patrick Haggard is set to hear a motion to move Ibarra’s trial out of Athens, on the grounds that he would not be able to properly bond with jurors there because of the publicity and local anger over his case .
Defense attorneys are also scheduled to argue that certain evidence and witnesses should be withheld from the trial and that the 10-count indictment should be broken into two separate trials because one of the peeping Tom charges is linked to a different victim. Is.
Prosecutors say Ibarra peered through the window of the 22-year-old student’s university apartment on the day of her murder. On February 22, when she did not return home after her morning walk, her body was found near her apartment.
Prosecutors say Ibarra allegedly pulled up her clothes to sexually assault her – then hit her over the head and strangled her.
Ibarra has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of malicious murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and related crimes.
He is being kept in jail without bail pending the trial.
The case sparked national debate after Ibarra entered the country illegally through El Paso, Texas and was released from immigration officials due to lack of space.
Ibarra was arrested in New York City in August 2023 for driving a gas-powered moped with a 5-year-old child on his back without a helmet or belt.
Authorities have said he was released in that case before fleeing to Georgia to join his brother Diego, one of the family members now linked to the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The pair were arrested in September for allegedly shoplifting from Walmart.
with post wires
(TagstoTranslate)US news(T)illegal immigrants(T)Layken Riley(T)murders
