Lefty Georgia DA in Laken Riley case faces outrage after killer migrant avoids death penalty

SUMMARY

Progressive Georgia District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez faced backlash after her refusal to seek the death penalty for Jose Ibarra, the illegal alien convicted of murdering nursing student Laken Riley. Despite removing herself from the case and appointing a special prosecutor, Gonzalez's decision to avoid pursuing the death penalty was criticized by many, including Republicans like State Rep. Houston Gaines, who argued the death penalty was warranted. Gonzalez, who had taken office in 2021, implemented policies against the death penalty, citing concerns about the consequences for illegal alien defendants. Her decision drew further ire from GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, who argued Ibarra deserved the death penalty. Ibarra was instead sentenced to life without parole. Gonzalez lost her reelection bid by 20 percentage points this month, a likely consequence of her controversial stance on crime and the death penalty.