The Manhattan judge who pushed the sweetheart deal that let an accused cop killer go to drug rehab instead of prison defended his decision Wednesday — saying “I don’t get a crystal ball when I get a robe.”

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Edward McLaughlin said he recommended Tyrone Howard for the “diversion program” instead of jail because he believed that none of the suspect’s previous convictions involved violence.

The judge admitted that he was unaware that Howard had been linked to a 2009 shooting that left three people wounded.

“I have no idea about that. This is the first time I’m hearing about that,” said the judge, who called the death of Officer Randolph Holder “a great tragedy.”

McLaughlin recommended rehab for Howard in the place of jail over the objections of prosecutors, who wanted the perp to do six years behind bars after being nabbed yet again for peddling drugs last year, the New York Post reports.