Courts

Reports Wrongly Claim Murder Suspect On Pretrial Release At Time Of Crime

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NMSC News:
 
SANTA FE ― Administrative Office of the Courts Director Arthur Pepin said Thursday that a news media story and police report inaccurately stated that an Albuquerque man charged with murder was out of jail on pretrial release for another offense at the time of the fatal shooting last week.
 
Court records show no criminal charges were pending against Phillip Joseph Sedillo at the time of the June 18, 2018 murder. He is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for fatally shooting a woman who was a neighbor and wounding a man who was with her.
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New Mexico Federation Of Labor Responds To Supreme Court Ruling On Janus v. AFSCME

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NMFL News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― The New Mexico Federation of Labor released the following statement:
 
A politically charged United States Supreme Court issued a five to four decision today in AFSCME v. Janus, holding that public sector union workers cannot be required to pay their fair share of Union dues for Union representation. Union employees in the public sector will still receive competent and professional union representation — the ruling just means that those employees who don’t want to pull their weight can make their fellow workers pay for their representation.
 
The
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American Federation Of Teachers New Mexico Issues Judicial Endorsements For 2018 Elections

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AFT-NM News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly and AFT NM Committee on Political Education Chair Sara Attleson released the following statement:
 
“Our union has taken the extraordinary step to make endorsements in several judicial races on the ballot in the November 2018 New Mexico election. The decision to make these endorsements was not taken lightly, and we believe it is in the best interest of our members, their families, and the communities in which we live and work, to encourage the election of each of these judicial candidates.
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Two Justices Of New Mexico Supreme Court Not Seeking Retention In General Election

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NMSC News:
 
SANTA FE ― Justices Petra Jimenez Maes and Charles W. Daniels of the New Mexico Supreme Court did not file Thursday for retention in the upcoming general election for new eight-year terms.
 
The justices will continue to serve on the Supreme Court. Their terms expire at the end of the year.
 
Because the justices did not seek retention, their positions on the Court become vacant as of Jan. 1, 2019, and will be filled through a merit selection nominating system provided for in the New Mexico Constitution.
 
Justice Maes was elected to the Supreme Court in 1998. She
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All State Courts Fully Open With Start Of Fiscal Year

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COURT News:

 

SANTA FE – All state courts will be fully open to the public during daily business hours with the beginning of the new fiscal year in July.

 

“The judicial branch of government is committed to serving the people of New Mexico with a justice system that fulfills its constitutional and statutory obligations. We are very grateful that lawmakers provided courts with resources in the state budget allowing a resumption of full business hours for customer service,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura said.

 

Because of funding and staffing shortages in recent Read More

Judge Postpones Acceptance Of Plea Agreement For Tabatha Jones In LAYFCL Embezzlement Case

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Tabatha Jones
 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Judge Jason Lidyard postponed acceptance of a plea agreement proposed Wednesday in First Judicial District Court for Tabatha Jones of Los Alamos pending receipt of additional information from Assistant District Attorney Kent Wahlquist. Jones is charged with the embezzlement of thousands of dollars last year from the nonprofit Los Alamos Youth Football and Cheerleading League (LAYFCL).

Under the agreement, Jones would plead guilty to embezzlement and receive a conditional discharge. She would be placed Read More

Heinrich Statement On Supreme Court Vacancy

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement today on the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and upcoming vacancy on the Supreme Court:

“Mitch McConnell broke the rules that made ‘advice and consent’ real in the United States Senate because he was willing to do anything to steal a Supreme Court nomination from our previous President.

“I will not legitimize his broken system. I will not look favorably on any Supreme Court nomination Read More

Stimmel Fails To Submit Roof Contract To Los Alamos Municipal Court As Ordered During Hearing

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A hole in the roof at the back of a home on Kayenta Street in White Rock, which has been the subject of Municipal Court hearings for more than three years. Courtesy photo

 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

White Rock property owner Jay Stimmel again failed to do as he promised Los Alamos Municipal Judge Alan Kirk Monday when he did not provide the Court with an executed agreement with a construction company to finish replacing the roof on his Kayenta Street house.

Stimmel is charged with having a roof in disrepair in five separate cases related to this residence.

At

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AG Balderas Releases Message Of Support To New Mexico’s Muslim Community On Supreme Court Travel Ban Opinion

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

From the Office of Attorney General Hector Balderas:

ALBUQUERQUE – This afternoon, Attorney General Hector Balderas released a message of support to New Mexico’s Muslim community in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Hawaii:

“In New Mexico, we have a special sensitivity to the impact of racial and religious discrimination, and we will continue to welcome people of all faiths, races, nationalities, gender identity and backgrounds here—despite the Muslim ban the high court upheld today. Banning entry to the United States from Muslim countries Read More

Matthew Amato Charged With DUI Following Traffic Stop By LANL Security

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Matthew Amato

COURT News

Matthew Amato, 23, of Los Alamos was arrested June 13 by Los Alamos Police Cpl. David Randleman and charged with driving under the influence.

Randleman was dispatched to Diamond Drive and Pajarito Street after Los Alamos National Laboratory security personnel pulled Amato over on a traffic stop. Randleman’s report states that he observed the odor of alcoholic beverages, that Amato’s speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. He said Amato admitted to consuming alcohol.

Amato agreed to perform a series of standardized field sobriety tests. Asked by Randleman Read More