Testimony resumes in the trial of the man accused of killing Georgia student Laken Riley

Associated Press

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Testimony is resuming in the trial of the man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Jose Ibarra, who entered the U.S. illegally two years ago, is charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s February killing. The case became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration during this year’s presidential campaign. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial, meaning Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard will hear and decide his case. Prosecutors say Ibarra encountered Riley while she was running on the University of Georgia campus in February and killed her during a struggle. Defense attorneys say the evidence is insufficient to prove their client’s guilt.