Social media users tore into MSNBC.com this week after it published a remarkable headline saying that “Laken Riley’s killer never stood a chance.”
The digital outlet’s Thursday article discussed how the legal defense team for Jose Antonio Ibarra, the illegal immigrant who was convicted on Wednesday of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley in February, “had no chance” because of the overwhelming evidence against their defendant.
Prominent people on X found the headline for the piece too sympathetic to Ibarra and not focused enough on the victim and her grieving family.
You know who never stood a chance?
Laken Riley. The actual victim. pic.twitter.com/XzRfu5THS5
— AG (@AGHamilton29) November 22, 2024
MSNBC’s article made the point that the verdict for Ibarra, who was convicted on multiple counts of murder and other crimes and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, was “never in doubt,” as it was a “hopeless case” for the defense team.
“For the defense, this was a hopeless case. The defense did the best it could with bad facts. It almost surely knew it was going to lose,” MSNBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos wrote.
His piece was not received well on X, with the headline going viral and drawing heat from those outraged over Riley’s murder at the hands of a criminal who had fled Venezuela and illegally crossed into the U.S. in 2022.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, interpreted the headline as sympathetic to Riley’s murderer. He wrote, “Laken Riley’s killer is now the victim, according to MSNBC.”
Laken Riley’s killer is now the victim, according to MSNBC https://t.co/EGw9UWQgT3
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) November 22, 2024
You literally can’t make up this level of depravity. These people are sick. The guy is a murderer. He’s an illegal alien that killed an innocent young woman but MSNBC would rather go to bat for him.
However, much you hate MSNBC it’s not enough! pic.twitter.com/3YSVmbbVBD— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 22, 2024
Tea Party Movement co-founder Debbie Dooley blasted MSNBC staff, posting, “The scumbags at @MSNBC showed sympathy to the animal that brutally murdered Laken Riley. It was Laken that never stood a chance.”
