Laken Riley’s Murder: The System Kept Failing
As a former Manhattan assistant district attorney, I urge The Post to pose the following questions to New York prosecutors and legislators in the wake of University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley’s murder — allegedly by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela (“He Was Free to Roam,” Feb. 25).
Given that Ibarra was previously arrested in New York for endangering the welfare of a 5-year-old, the following must be answered:
What was the disposition of the arrest? Did any local district attorneys decline to prosecute the arrest?
If charges were filed, was he eligible for cash bail? If so, did the local prosecutor ask for bail?
Was bail denied? If so, who was the judge that denied it?
Did any local laws prevent Ibarra’s detainment before remanding him to the custody of ICE?
We are seeing the tragic results of our nation’s immigration policies’ collision with New York’s perverse criminal justice “reforms,” alongside district attorneys viscerally opposed to incarceration. William Brief
Manhattan
With the news of Ibarra being released from jail in New York and traveling to Georgia to then allegedly murder Riley, I have to say: It is too late for a President Biden border miracle to secure re-election.
Blood is on Biden’s hands, and there is nothing that he can say to save this administration. The damage is done.
I also feel that the American people are tired of hearing too much about Ukraine and not enough about Biden’s apathy towards illegal immigrants committing murder. George Pfeiffer
East Haven, Conn.
Boy — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quite vocal on the subject of stopping the deluge of illegal criminals into our country, stating in an X post: “Seeking asylum is a legal right of all people. In the face of an authoritarian threat, we should not buckle on our principles — we should commit to them.” She also said it was “outrageous” and that “the President should refuse to sign” a bill to limit asylum.
Then, a few days later, a 22-year-old nursing student was allegedly murdered by an illegal Venezuelan immigrant who had been previously arrested in AOC’s home city of New York and subsequently released. AOC has declined to comment since.
Nick McNulty Windham, NH
Police in New York arrested and then released Ibarra, an illegal immigrant who is in this country thanks to Biden and the Democrats. He should have been immediately deported upon his arrest in New York — but he wasn’t.
Laken Riley’s family is now grieving her death,
allegedly at the hands of this criminal. Her family should immediately sue Biden, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Gov. Hochul. This thug is here as a result of Biden’s executive actions and the Democrats’ push to increase Democrat-leaning populations through illegal immigration.
L. Sullivan Rye Brook
Another American family is devastated by the actions of a criminal who should never have been in this country.
A bright and dedicated young woman — studying to be a nurse — reportedly died brutally at the hands of someone who was no stranger to illegal activities.
I would hypothetically wonder how Biden sleeps at night knowing that his disregard for the American people has cost the lives of many, but I don’t believe he has a conscience. Betsy Flor
Putnam Valley
President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas are accomplices to Ibarra’s alleged murder of Riley and other violent crimes in America attributed to their handling of the border crisis. They should be held responsible.
Palmer Woodrow
Las Vegas, Nev.
It is with great sadness that I read about the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, especially when I think of my granddaughters.
I hope there will be sanity restored to both New York and the rest of the nation come Election Day. Martin Garfinkle
Staten Island