The progressive Georgia district attorney prosecuting the illegal immigrant murderer of nursing student Lacan Riley refused to seek the death penalty even after removing herself from the case — when the defendant was sentenced to life without parole. When she went, anger spread.
Athens-Clarke District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, who A special prosecutor was appointed Taking over the prosecution of José Ibarra in late February amid criticism over his own prosecution record, he outlined soft reforms on crime when he took office in January 2021.
According to a copy of the district attorney’s policies shared by Georgia State Representative Houston Gaines, Gonzalez said that his office “will no longer seek the death penalty” and that when considering charging defendants, he would consider “undocumented “take into account collateral consequences for defendants”.
Ibarra, a 26-year-old member of the Tren de Arangua gang, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday after being convicted of murdering a 22-year-old college student. His conviction angered many Republicans, including Gaines, who felt the killer should receive the death penalty.
Gonzalez announced this spring that he would not seek the death penalty against Ibarra, saying, “Our highest duty is to ensure that justice is served and that the victim’s family is an integral part of the deliberation process.”
He also acknowledged that critics would try to “exploit this case for political gain”, but that legal decisions should “always go beyond political considerations”. According to WRDW.
The decision appears to be in line with what Gonzalez told employees in 2021.
“Cases that are legally eligible for the death penalty are eligible for a sentence of life without parole and a sentence of life with parole eligibility after serving thirty years,” he wrote.
“Both of these sentences constitute a very heavy sentence. “The decision to seek a sentence of life without parole is a death sentence in prison.”
He also reportedly said the office would take into account “side effects for undocumented defendants” when making charging decisions.
GOP lawmakers were upset that Ibarra would not face the death penalty.
“If ever there was a case where the death penalty was appropriate, this is it,” Gaines Tweeted on Wednesday.
Meanwhile state senator Colton Moore called on the state attorney general to intervene.
“I am officially asking Attorney General Chris Carr to intervene and file an emergency resolution seeking the death penalty for Laken Riley’s murderer,” he said. Tweeted.
“District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez let her radical political agenda stand in the way of justice. “By refusing to seek the death penalty, he denied Laken’s family, friends and community the full justice they deserve.”
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene also expressed her opinion.
“Jose Ibarra deserves the death penalty,” he tweeted. “As Laken’s mother Alison asked the judge, Laken’s evil (killer) deserves what he did to Laken.”
Gonzalez lost her re-election bid this month 20 percentage point margin.
(Tags to translate) US news(T) Georgia(T) Illegal immigrants(T) Laken Riley(T) Murders(T) Trial
