Laken Riley Trial

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
November 16, 2024

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The Laken Riley murder trial began yesterday in Georgia.

Twenty-two-year-old nursing student Laken Riley was killed while running on the University of Georgia campus in February. Prosecutors say Venezuelan national Jose Ibarra attacked her after she resisted being sexually assaulted.
Laken fought back and had Ibarra’s DNA under her fingernails. Police later found her body partially covered by leaves near where she was running.
Prosecutors presented forensic, video, and digital evidence linking Ibarra to the crime, including bloody clothing found in his apartment complex and surveillance footage showing suspicious behavior after the killing. Ibarra’s defense argued the evidence was circumstantial and not enough to prove his guilt.
This week, Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial, leaving the final verdict to the judge. The prosecution is seeking a life sentence in prison instead of the death penalty.
The case has drawn national attention because of the immigration implications. Ibarra illegally entered the US in 2022 and was allowed to stay to pursue his citizenship.

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New York will become the first US city to apply a congestion charge. Starting Jan 5, vehicles traveling in Manhattan below 60th Street will be charged a fee. The daytime toll will range from $9 to $21 and go toward the MTA, which manages the city’s subways, buses, and other public transit. (More)

Emmy-winning comedian and former late-night host Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Oscars, the Academy announced Friday. This is O’Brien’s first time hosting the event, following two years with Jimmy Kimmel as emcee. The Oscars will air on ABC on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET. (More)

Malcolm X’s daughters have filed a $100 million lawsuit accusing the CIA, FBI, NYPD, and others of being involved in his 1965 assassination. The lawsuit claims the agencies knew about the plot and failed to act. The agencies and the Department of Justice have not commented on the lawsuit. (More)

General Motors laid off around 1,000 workers on Friday. The cuts were across business departments. They came due to poor performance and realignment of priorities, according to a company spokesperson. GM is dealing with slow US sales and reevaluating its EV strategy because of slow consumer adoption. (More)

The DOT, FAA, and Delta Air Lines plan to let wheelchair users fly while staying in their own wheelchairs. Disabled travelers have long fought for this as their wheelchairs are often mishandled or damaged when placed in cargo. (More)

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A new vaccine offers hope for breast cancer patients. In a new breast cancer vaccine trial, 14 of 18 patients showed immune responses to the treatment and 16 patients remained cancer-free after three years. (More)

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