(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Tren de Aragua criminal Jose Ibarra—who entered the U.S. illegally and was convicted for the inhumane murder of Laken Riley—is now demanding taxpayers fund a new trial.
Ibarra is reportedly seeking to overturn the guilty verdict, according to the New York Post. He faced the guilty verdict in November 2020 after crushing Riley’s skull during the attempted sexual assault.
On Tuesday, Ibarra’s defense attorneys filed a two-page motion urging Judge H. Patrick Haggard to set aside the verdict and penalties from the bench trial.
The defense dubiously argued that Haggard “committed other errors of law that necessitate a new trial,” chastising the decision as “contrary to law” and “to evidence.”
However, the motion lacked specific details justifying the claim, the Post reported. Instead, the attorneys requested the judge “review the facts and circumstances” of the trial.
It isn’t immediately clear whether the judge will reject or accept the motion, which appears to be part of Ibarra’s plan to appeal the decision.
Tren de Aragua gangster Jose Ibarra asks for new trial after Laken Riley murder conviction https://t.co/OtvaiJ2lZL pic.twitter.com/FteRJPl6bU
— New York Post (@nypost) December 3, 2024
The motion came approximately two weeks after Haggard found Ibarra guilty of 10 counts of murder, malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape and Peeping Tom charges. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Ibarra targeted Riley during her jog on Feb. 22, 2024, a year after entering the U.S. illegally. Riley fought for her life for 18 agonizing minutes before succumbing to her injuries, her skull crushed and her body partially unclothed.
Ibarra, a Venezuelan national, was one of the millions of illegal aliens paroled into the U.S. by the outgoing Biden-Harris administration after entering the country illegally in September 2022.
BOMBSHELL: The roommate of Jose Ibarra, the man charged with Laken Riley’s m*rder, testified that they both received a taxpayer-funded flight to Georgia.
The Biden-Harris admin paid for Jose Ibarra to fly to Georgia where he k*IIed Laken Riley.pic.twitter.com/esKoLBsPHA
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 18, 2024
Law enforcement officials initially apprehended Ibarra’s brother, Diego Ibarra, on suspicion of the crime. Diego later pleaded guilty to possession of a false green card and had been arrested three times since entering the U.S. for a DUI and driving without a license, shoplifting and failure to appear, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Both Ibarra and Diego were confirmed members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
NEW: Disturbing details released about the death of Laken Riley who was allegedly killed by illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra who "disfigured her skull."
This is why the death penalty exists.
According to newly released documents, Ibarra "physically" prevented Riley from… pic.twitter.com/QcG7Xi8CBP
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 27, 2024
