The progressive Georgia district attorney who prosecuted the illegal immigrant killer of nursing student Laken Riley refused to seek the death penalty even after recusing himself from the case — sparking outrage when the defendant was sentenced to life without parole.

Athens-Clarke District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez, who appointed a special prosecutor taking over the prosecution of Jose Ibarra in late February amid criticism of her own prosecutorial record, laid out her soft-on-crime reforms when she takes office in January 2021.

Gonzalez said her office “would no longer seek the death penalty” and when considering charging defendants, she would “consider the consequences for undocumented defendants,” according to a copy of the district attorney’s policy shared by Georgia State Rep. Houston Gaines.

Ibarra, a 26-year-old Tren de Arangua gang member, was sentenced Wednesday to life without parole after being convicted of murdering the 22-year-old college student. His sentence outraged many Republicans, including Gaines, who believed the killer should receive the death penalty.

Gonzalez announced this spring that he would not seek the death penalty against Ibarra, saying “our ultimate duty is to ensure that justice is done and that the victim’s family is an integral part of the deliberation process.”

She also acknowledged that critics will try to “exploit this case for political gain,” but legal decisions must “always transcend political considerations.” according to WRDW.

The decision appears to be in line with what Gonzalez told the 2021 staff.

“Cases legally eligible for the death penalty are eligible for sentences of life without parole and life with parole after thirty years,” she wrote.

“Both of these sentences constitute very severe sentences. Decisions to seek a life sentence without parole are a death sentence in prison.”

She also reportedly said the office would consider “security implications for undocumented defendants” when making decisions about charges.

GOP lawmakers were outraged 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 Sen. Colton Moore urged the state attorney general to intervene.

“I am officially calling on Attorney General Chris Carr to file an emergency motion to intervene and seek the death penalty for the killer of Laken Riley,” he tweeted.

“District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez let her radical political agenda get in the way of justice. By refusing to seek the death penalty, she denied Laken’s family, friends and community the full measure of justice they deserve.”

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene also weighed in.

“Jose Ibarra deserves the death penalty,” she tweeted. “Just as Laken’s mother Allyson asked the judge, Laken’s evil (killer) deserves exactly what he gave to Laken.”

Gonzalez lost his re-election bid this month by one 20 percentage point margin.