Outrage Erupts Over MSNBC’s Sympathy for Laken Riley’s Murderer

Jose Ibarra, the convicted murderer of nursing student Laken Riley, "never stood a chance," according to an MSNBC article that has sparked widespread outrage.

Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant with gang ties, was found guilty this week on multiple counts for Riley’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

MSNBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos commented that Riley’s murder became a prominent talking point at this summer’s Republican National Convention due to Ibarra’s illegal entry into the U.S. in 2022.

“For all the political controversy, the outcome of this trial was never in doubt,” wrote Cevallos. “The verdict was always going to be guilty, and the sentence was destined to be life without parole. The defense faced insurmountable odds. It did the best it could with a case stacked against it, which is likely why they opted for a bench trial rather than a jury.”

Cevallos also noted that the judge presiding over the case showed no leniency toward Ibarra, whether before a jury or in a bench trial.

The article’s framing ignited backlash on social media. Joe Rogan, reacting to the piece, tweeted to his 14 million followers, “What the fk is this st?” Many others joined in, calling for the author’s dismissal and criticizing MSNBC for appearing to focus on Ibarra’s plight rather than the tragedy of Riley’s death.

Amid the criticism, MSNBC altered the article’s headline from “Laken Riley’s killer never stood a chance” to “The guilt of Laken Riley’s killer was never in doubt.”