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Judge denies request to move trial of Laken Riley’s accused killer out of Athens

By Joe Johnson

A Superior Court judge has denied a request to change the venue for the murder trial of Jose Ibarra, who is accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley eight months ago on the University of Georgia campus.

Defense attorneys had filed a motion for the venue change on the basis that finding an impartial jury in the county where the crime occurred would be impossible, given the extensive media attention the case has received.

The motion also noted the prominence of UGA within the Athens community.

The Supreme Court has held that changes of venue are proper in cases where media coverage is “‘unduly extensive, factually incorrect, inflammatory, or reflective of an atmosphere of hostility,'” according to the motion.

Judge H. Patrick Haggard, who presides over Ibarra’s case, has ruled that he was denying the motion because the defense had not yet provided evidence that Ibarra couldn’t be tried fairly in Athens.

“As to whether Athens-Clarke County is an inherently prejudicial environment, the decisive factor in determining whether a change of venue is required is the effect of the publicity on the ability of prospective jurors to be objective,” the judge said in his ruling,

“As jury selection has not begun, Defendant cannot show that the jury selection process showed actual prejudice to a degree that rendered a fair trial impossible.”

Ibarra is charged by an indictment that alleges he killed Riley on February 22 during a sexual assault on a UGA running trail. He allegedly bludgeoned the student’s head with a rock and strangled her.

The indictment charges Ibarra with malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to commit rape, aggravated battery, and interference with a 911 emergency call.

Haggard has scheduled jury selection to begin on November 13, with the trial to begin five days later.

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