Judge hears testimony from DNA expert as man convicted of killing Laken Riley seeks new trial

A judge considering whether to grant a new trial to the Venezuelan man convicted of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has heard testimony from a DNA expert retained by his attorneys. The expert, Ruth Ballard, said during Friday’s hearing that she couldn't rule out the possibility that Jose Ibarra’s DNA was transferred onto a jacket and other evidence she reviewed indirectly. Under questioning by a prosecutor, Ballard acknowledged that she hadn't finished a complete review of the case. Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard wasn't expected to rule immediately on Ibarra's request for a new trial.