An emotional day unfolded in court as the man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Lakin Riley pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have announced that they will not seek the death penalty for Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
Riley's family and friends were visibly devastated as they faced the man accused of her murder. During the court proceedings, Riley's mother and sister broke down in tears upon Ibarra's entrance. He entered a plea of not guilty to 10 charges, including malice, murder, and kidnapping.
The court hearing took place three months after Riley's body was discovered in a wooded area on the University of Georgia's campus. Authorities revealed that Riley had gone for a run and never returned. The details of the case are distressing, with the indictment alleging that Ibarra attempted to rape Riley, struck her head with a rock, and prevented her from calling 911.
It was disclosed that Ibarra had illegally entered the U.S. from Venezuela in 2022. The former ICE director criticized the handling of Ibarra's immigration status, stating that he should have been detained or placed in a program that would have prevented such a tragedy.
Following the incident, Representative Mike Collins introduced the Lakin Riley Act in the House at the request of Riley's family. The bill aims to require the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants for minor offenses like theft or shoplifting to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The bill passed in the House but faces opposition from Senate Democrats who argue that it lacks specificity and could disproportionately impact people of color. Ibarra is scheduled to appear in court again in August for further proceedings.
