The Democratic district attorney for Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, resigned from the Laken Riley murder case after critics pointed out that he had never won a guilty verdict in a jury trial.
District Attorney (DA) Deborah Gonzalez announced Monday that Special Prosecutor Sheila Ross will take over the murder trial. illegal alien Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with murdering a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student on February 22nd.
Ibarra, 26, is a Venezuelan national who has been arrested and released by multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies since illegally crossing Venezuela’s southern border in 2022.
Jose Antonio Ybarra (Clark County Sheriff’s Office)
Just months before Ybarra allegedly killed Riley while she was on the run near the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in Athens, arrested and released He is accused of shoplifting from a local Walmart with his brother, who is also an illegal immigrant.
Diego Jose Ybarra (Clark County Sheriff’s Office)
Since Gonzalez became prosecutor in 2020, her office has dismissed a whopping 46 percent of criminal charges and failed to prosecute 130 felonies, according to 11 Alive. report.
Three victims also filed suit against prosecutors, alleging that prosecutors avoided legal process by failing to notify their respective offenders before they were offered plea deals or had their cases dismissed. woke up.
Gonzalez also civil lawsuit “She alleges that she failed to adequately manage the office to maintain the staff and caseload necessary to carry out the duties of the Office of the Prosecutor.”
District Trial Attorney Kevin Epps Said WSB-TV reported that Gonzalez does not have the necessary experience to properly try the case.
“Gonzalez has never been able to achieve a single guilty verdict in a jury trial involving any type of criminal case,” Epps said, speaking on behalf of an Athens bar owner who “claims he is not willing to do the work.” Gonzalez is being sued.
“We currently have a district attorney who is completely incapable of properly prosecuting this case,” he added.
Georgia state Rep. Houston Gaines (R) also criticized prosecutors in multiple social media posts, noting that on his first day in office, he said he would “make decisions based on collateral consequences for defendants who are in the country illegally.” .
“She has also repeatedly failed to secure convictions in murder and rape cases, and mass resignations have left only a few attorneys remaining in the firm,” Gaines added.
— Houston Gaines (@houstongaines) February 25, 2024
The Republican also emphasized Gonzalez’s goal of abolishing the death penalty.
“Jose Ibarra should receive the death penalty. However, Athens District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez has said she will not seek the death penalty,” Gaines wrote to X.
“I really hope she changes direction.”
Jose Ibarra should receive the death penalty. But Athens District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez said she would not seek the death penalty, saying she would “consider the collateral consequences for the defendant who is in the country illegally.” I sincerely hope that she changes her direction. pic.twitter.com/m4ufqOulOP
— Houston Gaines (@houstongaines) February 26, 2024
Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, also warned Gonzalez before handing over the case to Ross.
Asked by a reporter Monday if he was confident in the prosecutor’s ability to “bring this case and this suspect to justice,” Kemp answered in a harsh tone. response.
“That’s the best thing to do,” the governor said, according to the paper. athens banner herald. “Because the whole country and the world is watching this case. Every day we see small crimes lead to big crimes. And that’s what we witnessed in this case. It is.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (AP Photo/Alex Slits)
Gaines, who lives in a neighborhood adjacent to the area where Riley’s body was found, also told reporters Monday that “she is not ready to handle this case.”
On the other hand, Ross explained As a “veteran prosecutor who oversaw Georgia’s most high-profile murder trials.” atlanta journal constitution.
Gonzalez claimed in a statement from her office after Ross was appointed to the case that the criticisms against her were politically motivated.
We would like to express our gratitude to our colleagues across Georgia who supported our circuits during this tragic event at our flagship facility. We will not allow this or any other incident to be used for political gain. Our top priority is the safety of all our citizens, and we are committed to ensuring justice is served for every loss of life. Sheila Ross of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council (PAC) returns to the Western District. We welcome her back as a knowledgeable and respected trial attorney with the expertise to bring justice on behalf of Laken Riley. In preparation, our office and our law enforcement partners maintained constant communication throughout the investigation. We will provide further updates once the case is handed over to our office. Since our office’s inception, our office has worked diligently to protect our community from those who seek to harm it. This includes those who believe that violence is the answer. We will ensure that such people are brought to justice. Our hearts and our work are with the families and friends of the victims during this difficult time. We will provide additional comment as more information becomes available.
Ybarra is charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and concealing the death of another person in connection with Riley’s death.
The nursing student did not know the alleged killer and is believed to have died from blunt force trauma to the head caused by an unknown object.
The murder shocked not only the Athens community, but also the UGA and Augusta University student bodies.
protester interrupted Athens Mayor Kelly Gertz made remarks about public safety Wednesday morning while holding up and shouting signs that read “Blood on our hands” and “Make Athens safe again,” Breitbart News reported.
