In a continuation of controversy surrounding the Athens-Clarke County District Attorney's office, Democrat Deborah Gonzalez has announced the appointment of a special prosecutor to handle the high-profile murder case of Laken Riley. This decision comes after several lawmakers and attorneys expressed concerns about Gonzalez's ability to prosecute the suspect given her office's history, including the mishandling of a child rape case.

Last year, Gonzalez's office dropped rape, incest, and child molestation charges against Michael Lareco Daniel, a 43-year-old man who was recently convicted on all counts for raping a 14-year-old relative three years ago. The decision to drop the charges, citing insufficient evidence, was made without notifying the victim and her family. This violation of victim's rights under Georgia's Marsy's Law has added further scrutiny to Gonzalez's leadership.

The mishandling of the child rape case led to a swift conviction for Daniel, with the jury taking just 45 minutes to reach their decision after a four-day trial. The judge sentenced Daniel to life plus 50 years for his heinous crimes. However, it was later revealed that Gonzalez's office failed to inform law enforcement about an order violation in which Daniel continued to contact the victim's family. This failure to uphold victim protections resulted in an apology from Gonzalez after a ruling by Western Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Eric Norris.

Following the ruling, additional charges were brought against Daniel, including violating a family violence order and aggravated stalking. He was also charged and convicted of cruelty to children and battery for assaulting the same young female victim. The convictions brought a sense of justice for the victim's family, who had previously criticized Gonzalez for her handling of the case.

Attorney Kevin Epps, who represented the victim's mother in the rights case, spoke out against Gonzalez's competence as a prosecutor. He highlighted the fact that Gonzalez has yet to obtain a conviction on any misdemeanor or felony case during her tenure. Epps expressed concerns about Gonzalez's decision to step down from the Laken Riley murder case and seek help from outside sources, asserting that the people of the circuit did not elect the DA to rely on external assistance.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, along with lawmakers and lawyers, had already raised concerns about Gonzalez's ability to handle high-profile cases before her decision to appoint a special prosecutor. Three victims have successfully filed cases against Gonzalez, alleging that they were not informed before their aggressors were offered plea deals or when their cases were dismissed, as mandated by the law.

Superior Court judges also expressed concerns about the efficacy, preparation, and procedural readiness of the assistant District Attorneys in court, pointing to a growing backlog of cases.

In response to the criticism, Gonzalez has claimed that the backlash against her office is politically motivated and aimed at obstructing her progressive reforms, including the elimination of cash bail. However, critics like Epps argue that it is these very policies that led to the tragic murder of Laken Riley by an undocumented immigrant.

Moving forward, Sheila Ross will oversee the murder case against Jose Ibarra, the Venezuela native accused of using a mystery object to beat Riley to death on the University of Georgia campus. Ibarra was recently arrested near the running trail where Riley's body was found.

As of now, DailyMail.com has reached out to Gonzalez's office for comment on the recent developments surrounding her office.