Laken Riley case: Man accused of killing nursing student waives jury trial

CNN
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The man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley waived his right to a jury trial Tuesday and agreed to a trial in which a judge will decide his guilt or innocence.

With prosecutors' approval, Supreme Court Justice H. Patrick Haggard approved the waiver of 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra. Through his translator, Ibarra told the judge that he understood he could not change this decision.

Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University College of Nursing student, was killed Feb. 22 while running on the University of Georgia campus. Ibarra is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela whose legal status triggered a wave of immigration.

Ibarra was charged in May with 10 counts, including murder and aggravated assault with intent to rape, as well as an earlier incident in which he allegedly looked through a student's window. He has pleaded not guilty.

Jury selection in the trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday.