The district attorney of the county where Laken Riley was killed has been defeated by an independent challenger, according to multiple reports.
Democratic District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, who oversees the Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties, was defeated by Independent challenger Kalki Yalamanchili in the race by a wide margin, according to unofficial vote tallies and multiple reports. Gonzalez campaigned on a liberal crime platform, advocating for “alternative accountability-based measures to address most nonviolent crimes or issues presented by juvenile defendants,” crediting her policy with a drop in crime, according to her campaign website.
At the time of writing, Yalamanchili leads Gonzalez 59.51% to 40.49%, according to the unofficial vote tally.
Riley’s alleged killer, Jose Ibarra, was indicted by a grand jury in May for malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, tampering with evidence and interfering with a 911 call for help. Gonzalez’s office is overseeing Ibarra’s prosecution, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
The trial is set to begin some time in November.
“I really feel like we had the right plan on how to run this campaign,” Yalamanchili said Tuesday, according to The Red and Black. “We’ve had response the way we wanted to as an independent campaign from across the political spectrum, everybody from Sheriff Hale in Oconee County to Mayor Girtz in Clarke County.”
Yalamanchili is a first-generation American, and said if he was elected he would keep criminals from using “an ineffective DA’s office to their advantage,” according to his campaign website.
Gonzalez assigned special prosecutor Sheila Ross, who formerly worked in the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, to the case, according to Fox 5 Atlanta in February.
“I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues from across Georgia who have supported our circuit during this tragic event at our flagship institution,” Gonzalez said in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta in February. “We will not allow this or any other case to be used for political gain. Our top priority is the safety of every citizen, and we are fully committed to ensuring that justice is served for the loss of every life.”
Yalamanchili and Gonzalez’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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