Woman accused of shooting at Rihanna's home found competent, then indicted
A Los Angeles judge ruled Ivanna Ortiz competent for trial on 29 September, and a grand jury indictment was unsealed the next day. She is accused of firing a rifle at Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's home in March.
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The story, neutrally told
On 29 September a Los Angeles County judge, Maria Cavalluzzi, found Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, of Orlando, Florida, mentally competent to stand trial. The IndependentLC “Judge Maria Cavalluzzi issued the competency ruling after psychiatric evaluations for Ortiz.” Read at The Independent ↗ The psychiatric reports are sealed and were not discussed in court. The IndependentLC “There was no direct discussion in court of the details of the mental evaluations, and the case documents that include such details have been sealed.” Read at The Independent ↗ The next day, a grand jury indictment against her was unsealed. The IndependentLC “The indictment against 36-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz of Orlando was unsealed Wednesday by a judge.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “after Ortiz’s grand jury indictment was unsealed” Read at New York Post ↗
The Independent says the indictment supersedes the original charges and lets prosecutors skip California's public preliminary hearing. The IndependentLC “The grand jury indictment supersedes the original charges.” Read at The Independent ↗ Authorities allege that on 8 March Ortiz drove a Tesla to the Beverly Hills-area property, pointed an AR-15-style rifle out the window and fired at least 20 rounds toward it and a neighbouring house. The IndependentLC “pointed an AR-15 style rifle out the window and sprayed at least 20 bullets toward the property and a neighboring house” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “fired 20 rounds toward the home with children present” Read at New York Post ↗ No one was hurt, but bullets hit an Airstream trailer where Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were and a wall of the nursery where their children were. The IndependentLC “No one was injured, but bullets tore through an Airstream trailer” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “Bullets also hit an Airstream trailer in the driveway” Read at New York Post ↗
Ortiz has pleaded not guilty. The charges include attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an occupied dwelling or vehicle, and she could face life in prison. New York PostR “pleaded not guilty to all charges through her attorney” Read at New York Post ↗ The IndependentLC “Ortiz could get life in prison if convicted of all counts.” Read at The Independent ↗ Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott said outside court that Ortiz wanted to kill Rihanna and that others were collateral damage. New York PostR ““This is a person who wanted to kill Rhianna. Everyone else was collateral damage,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Investigators say that after her arrest Ortiz told them she was not attempting murder. The IndependentLC ““I wasn’t attempting murder.”” Read at The Independent ↗
The Independent reports prosecutors have not stated a motive or a connection to Rihanna, while the New York Post cites YouTube videos in which Ortiz called Rihanna a thief and a witch as an apparent motive. The IndependentLC “Prosecutors have not said anything about a motive or cited any connection between Rihanna and Ortiz” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “Ortiz claimed Rhianna was “stealing” from her, was “jealous” of her and was a “witch” with a “devil’s face”” Read at New York Post ↗ The Post reports Ortiz's next court date is 29 October and her bail was raised, giving $2.65 million in one passage and just over $1.8 million in another. New York PostR “Her bail was raised to $2.65 million. She is due back in court Oct. 29”“The alleged shooter’s bail has been set at just over $1.8 million.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Procedural reporting on the competency ruling and then the indictment, with the case described as having been stalled and now fast-tracked.
- Emphasis
- Sealed psychiatric records, the grand jury bypassing the preliminary hearing, and the absence of a stated motive.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the prosecutor's courtroom-steps quotes, Ortiz's online videos, or bail details.
- Charged language
- “Miraculously”
- For example
-
“the case that appeared stalled — possibly permanently — is now on a fast-track to trial.” — The Independent
“Prosecutors have not said anything about a motive or cited any connection between Rihanna and Ortiz” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with the prosecutor's claim that Ortiz targeted Rihanna, with colour on her court appearance and her online videos.
- Emphasis
- Prosecutor quotes, upgraded charges, bail, Ortiz's appearance and videos, and the family's flight from LA.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the sealed evaluations or the preliminary-hearing bypass, and mentions the competency question only briefly.
- Charged language
- “unhinged videos”“bizarre motive”“shooting up”“collateral damage”
- For example
-
“The accused shooter posted a string of unhinged videos that appeared to offer a bizarre motive for the attack.” — New York Post
“Ortiz appeared Wednesday in a yellow jumpsuit, her hands shackled” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Ortiz, 36, of Orlando, is accused of firing a rifle at Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's home on 8 March.
- No one was injured; an Airstream trailer was hit.
- She pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison.
- A grand jury indictment was unsealed on 30 September.
Where accounts differ
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Motive
- Left
- The Independent says prosecutors have not described a motive or any connection between Ortiz and Rihanna.
- Right
- The New York Post quotes prosecutor Bott saying Ortiz wanted to kill Rihanna, and cites her videos as an apparent motive.
-
Bail amount
- Left
- The Independent does not report bail.
- Right
- The New York Post gives two different figures: $2.65 million and just over $1.8 million.
Ivanna Ortiz person
Ortiz has pleaded not guilty; she told investigators she was not attempting murder. Her attorney entered the plea.
““I wasn’t attempting murder.”” — The Independent
“pleaded not guilty to all charges through her attorney” — New York Post
Rihanna person
Rihanna is the alleged target; the coverage reports she and her family left LA after the shooting.
“Rihanna and her family fled the mansion and got on a private jet and left LA in the aftermath.” — New York Post
Left3 articles
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Woman accused of shooting at Rihanna’s home is mentally fit for trial, judge says
Neutral Straight report of the competency ruling with case background and sealed evaluations.
-
Woman accused of firing at home of Rihanna indicted on attempted murder and other felony counts
Neutral Reports the indictment as a fast-track to trial after the competency ruling.
-
Woman indicted for attempted murder after shooting at Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s home
Neutral Shorter rewrite of the indictment story, noting no stated motive.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Accused shooter ‘wanted to kill Rihanna, everyone else was collateral damage’: prosecutors
Critical Prosecutor-led account with lurid detail about Ortiz and her videos.
- 29 Sep 18:30 First The IndependentLC Woman accused of shooting at Rihanna’s home is mentally fit for trial, judge says
- 30 Sep 17:43 +23h 13m The IndependentLC Woman accused of firing at home of Rihanna indicted on attempted murder and other felony counts
- 30 Sep 18:40 +24h 10m The IndependentLC Woman indicted for attempted murder after shooting at Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s home
- 30 Sep 19:50 +25h 20m New York PostR Accused shooter ‘wanted to kill Rihanna, everyone else was collateral damage’: prosecutors
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.