Courts

Governor Issues Executive Clemency To 12 Individuals

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today issued additional pardons, invoking her power of executive clemency for 12 individuals convicted of crimes in New Mexico, the overwhelming majority of whom were guilty of a non-violent offense.

The forgiven offenses committed by the individuals included drug possession, auto burglary, forgery, and fraud, among others. All but one of the offenses dated back more than a decade; some dated back to the 1980s.

Five of the individuals had applied for clemency under the Martinez administration, Read More

New Mexico Environment Department Settles With O’Reilly Auto Parts Store For Endangering Workers During Pandemic

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NMED News:

…NMED also is investigating more than 200 workplace safety complaints related to COVID-19 and 14 workplace-related COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) entered into a settlement agreement with O’Reilly Auto Parts for alleged violations of the state’s public health order and the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in an unsafe workplace at a Santa Fe store.

Under the settlement agreement, O’Reilly Auto Parts will pay $79,200 in penalties.

NMED inspected the O’Reilly Auto Parts store at 4715 Airport Road in Santa Fe July 4, Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: Dec. 17 To Dec. 28, 2020

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LAPD News:

The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.

Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.

 

RICHARD LEE MARTINEZ

Dec. 17 at 2:04 p.m. / Police arrested Richard Lee Martinez, 41, of Española at 2500 Trinity Dr., on an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction and charged him with driving with an open container of alcohol and driving on a suspended or revoked license.

 

 

DAVID R. MARTINEZ

Dec. 18 at 1:08 p.m. / Police arrested David R. Martinez, 34, of Los Read More

American Federation Of Teachers New Mexico React To Another Injunction Against Gallup McKinley County Schools

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AFT News:

ALBUQUERQUE — American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:

“The New Mexico Public Employees Labor Relations Board issued a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction against Gallup McKinley County Schools, this time relating to its illegal surveillance of educators in the District.

“Parents, students, and educators won a victory today when the New Mexico Labor Board limited the District’s intrusive use of surveillance technology in the classroom. Rather than focusing on encouraging safe and welcoming Read More

Governor Taps Julie Vargas For New Mexico Supreme Court

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Judge Julie J. Vargas

From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed Julie J. Vargas to the state Supreme Court, closing the vacancy left by the Honorable Justice Judith K. Nakamura, who retired.

“Judge Vargas has demonstrated her quality as a consistent and conscientious jurist,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “She is a fair, trustworthy and thoughtful representative of New Mexico’s judicial system, and I know New Mexico will benefit from her service now as a justice.”

Vargas has served as a judge on the New Mexico Court of Appeals since her election in 2016, reviewing

Read More

FBI: Arizona Man Gets 37 Mos. For Involuntary Manslaughter

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE – Maroquez Clah, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation from Red Valley, Ariz., was sentenced Dec. 15 in federal court in Albuquerque to 37 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Clah also was ordered to pay restitution of $4,500.

Clah previously pleaded guilty Sept. 21 to this offense. In his plea agreement, Clah admitted that Aug. 30, 2019, he was driving recklessly while under the influence of alcohol, which resulted in the death of the passenger in his vehicle.

The single-car incident occurred on Navajo Route 13 in Red Valley.

The FBI and the Navajo Division Read More

PED Secretary Ryan Stewart On Yazzie-Martinez Motion

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Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart

PED News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart issued the following statement Tuesday regarding a plaintiffs’ filing in the consolidated Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit:

“While it is the policy of the Public Education Department not to discuss pending litigation outside the courtroom, I would like to acknowledge the hard work being done by districts and charter schools, internet service providers, non-profit partners like the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center, collective action by the New Mexico Homework Gap Read More

Civil And Criminal Jury Trials To Resume In February 2021 Under New Mexico Supreme Court Order

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New Mexico Supreme Court issued an order allowing jury trials in February 2021. Courtesy/nmcourts

Supreme Court News:

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Supreme Court issued an order today allowing civil and criminal jury trials to resume in February 2021.

The Court last month suspended jury trials – but not grand juries – as a public health precaution to help control the spread of COVID-19 when new cases of the virus were spiking in New Mexico.

Under the Court’s latest order, courts can resume trials with jurors in February.

“The Supreme Court and its Emergency Response Team constantly monitors public Read More

AG Balderas: Two Arrested And Charged For Stealing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars From Pareo Farms

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

ALBUQUERQUE —  Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Wednesday the filing of charges against Leo Martinez and Robbie Proffitt for embezzlement and defrauding of Pareo Farms, a family dairy farm in Valencia County.

Martinez and Proffitt were each arrested and charged with five felony counts for stealing approximately $500,000 worth of bulk hay that they were supposed to have delivered to the farm, selling that stolen hay to another business, and fraudulently billing Pareo Farms for delivery of the hay that was never delivered.

“Family farmers, Read More

FBI: Mescalero Man Gets 18 Months For Chainsaw Attack

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Josea Michael Kazhe, 20, of Mescalero, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, was sentenced Dec. 8 to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

In his plea agreement, Kazhe admitted to assaulting another man with a chainsaw Dec. 24, 2019 on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

The victim’s injury was so serious he required emergency transportation to University Medical Center in El Paso.

Following his prison term, Kazhe will serve two years of supervised release.

The FBI investigated this case with the Read More