Man's Past Center Of Albuquerque Fatal Police Shooting Case - The Associated Press
The criminal past of a homeless camper shot and killed by Albuquerque police is at the center of a hearing involving a former officer and current officer facing murder charges.
Lawyers for Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy are set Friday to argue that prior arrests of 38-year-old James Boyd should be allowed in the trial. The attorneys say Boyd previously attacked police.
But a special prosecutor says if Boyd's past wasn't known at the time of the shooting, it shouldn't be allowed in court.
James Boyd, who authorities later said suffered from schizophrenia, was shot during a standoff in March 2014 in the Sandia Mountains foothills. Video of the shooting showed Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy opened fire.
Attorneys for the officers say their clients did nothing wrong.
Public Regulation Commissioner Espinoza Joins Task Force – The Associated Press
Public Regulation Commissioner Valerie Espinoza has been appointed to a national telecommunications task force aimed at monitoring the nation's telecommunications laws.
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Lisa Edgar recently named Espinoza to the task force after the group's summer meeting.
The group says the initiative is a response to the transformative changes in the telecommunications sector. In addition, the group wants to examine how state can respond to various federal laws.
Meal-Deliverer Honored For Freeing Child From Locked Car – The Associated Press
Albuquerque officials are honoring a city employee for rescuing a child from a locked car.
Department of Senior Affairs meal-delivery driver David Gallegos on Friday was honored as employee of the week.
Officials say Gallegos was working his route June 4 when saw a woman frantically yelling for help because she'd accidentally locked her 3-year-old granddaughter in her car along with the keys.
Gallegos obtained a hanger, a screwdriver and a piece of wood from a custodian. He used them to pry open the door enough to fish out the car keys and free the child.
She was in the car for only a few minutes and was unharmed.
Gallegos previously was named employee of the week in 2012 for rescuing an elderly woman who'd fallen in her home.
Business Owner Denies Agency Gave It Preferential Treatment – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican
The owner of a Bernalillo-based business at the center of a state investigation denies it received preferential treatment from the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the name of Harold's Grading and Trucking was discernible on a 2014 email released by the Department of Taxation and Revenue to media outlets last week.
State Auditor Tim Keller previously forwarded allegations of wrongdoing by department officials to state prosecutors. Keller didn't identify the business but said Department Secretary Demesia Padilla may have improperly influenced a tax audit of the business.
Harold Dominguez confirmed Padilla formerly was his business' accountant but he said her agency hasn't given it preferential treatment.
Padilla's agency contends the allegations are unsubstantiated and driven by disgruntled former employees.
District Attorney's Son Arrested In Third Shoplifting Case – The Associated Press & KOAT
A New Mexico district attorney's son is once again facing charges in a shoplifting case.
KOAT-TV reports Justin Koch was arrested Wednesday night and charged with larceny and attempting to evade police in connection with two calculators that were taken from a Wal-Mart store.
The son of Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg has been arrested twice before on similar charges.
His bond was set at $1,000.
Koch's friends accused him of stealing from them in 2013. Albuquerque police launched a bribery and intimidation investigation into Brandenburg, saying she tried to repay the individuals.
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in May there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Brandenburg, who has asked the U.S. Attorney's Office in Albuquerque to probe the investigation by Albuquerque police.
New Mexico State Police: 2 Killed In Crash Of Small Plane – Associated Press
Authorities say two men from New Mexico and Utah were killed when a single-engine plane crashed in the vicinity of the airport in Truth or Consequences.
State Police said New Mexico Game and Fish Department officers spotted the wreckage Wednesday.
Police say the plane was registered to one of the victims, 48-year-old David Reasor of La Luz, New Mexico. The other victim was identified as 37-year-old Jason Robert Glenn of Layton, Utah.
State Police say it appears the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, but it's unclear when it went down.
They say the plane still was parked at the airport as of last Thursday.
Airport attendant Vaughn Huron says the crash site is about a mile west of the airport.
Federal officials will investigate the crash to determine its cause.
Judge: New Mexico Attorney General Firings OK – Associated Press
A judge has recommended a state board dismiss appeals by 20 former employees of the New Mexico Attorney General's Office seeking to get their jobs back.
An administrative law judge recently ruled Attorney General Hector Balderas had the authority to fire the workers and recommended that the State Personnel Office allow the firings to stand.
Balderas fired the workers when he took office last January.
Twenty of them appealed their terminations to the State Personnel Board, arguing the State Personnel Act protects their positions.
The board will decide whether to accept or reject the judge's recommendation at an Aug. 6 meeting.
Balderas says he expects the State Personnel Board to uphold the recommendation.
Albuquerque Fire Department Dispatcher's License Suspended – Associated Press
An Albuquerque Fire Department dispatcher who hung up on a 911 caller trying to help a teenage shooting victim has had his emergency medical dispatch license suspended.
New Mexico Department of Health investigators are looking into the actions of Matthew Sanchez and will present the information to the EMS licensing commission.
Sanchez will have a hearing before the commission, which can decide to revoke his license.
A recording made public this week revealed that Sanchez hung up on 17-year-old Esperanza Quintero, who was seeking help for a friend shot in June.
Police say 17-year-old Jaydon Chavez-Silver later died.
Sanchez had sent an ambulance before hanging up and it arrived within minutes. He resigned Tuesday.
The department will start giving crisis intervention training to all firefighters and dispatchers next week.
University Of New Mexico Revamps Its New Student Orientation – KRQE-TV, Associated Press
The University of New Mexico has revamped its new student orientation to better reach students with a message about sexual misconduct.
Over the summer, incoming freshmen will spend a couple of days on campus learning the ropes on topics like advisement, financial responsibility, sexual assault and alcohol literacy.
With an ongoing review by the Department of Justice of the campus's handling of rape cases, the university restructured its orientation sections to communicate with students in a more interactive, peer-to-peer method in hopes they'll better retain the important information.
Previously, the sessions used skits to illustrate a variety of issues including drinking and sexual misconduct.
UNM Student Affairs Specialist Lisa Lindquist tells KRQE-TV that the revamped curriculum gives students the opportunity to openly discuss consent, reporting abuse and bystander intervention.
Bernalillo County Again Making Juvenile Mugshots Public – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Bernalillo County is again releasing mugshots and booking sheets for juvenile suspects.
The Albuquerque Journal reports news organizations challenged the county's decision this spring to stop releasing juvenile detention records and renewed their push following the shooting death of 60-year-old Steven Gerecke.
Six teenagers were arrested in connection with the crime. News organizations and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government were considering a lawsuit to obtain booking sheets and mugshots for the boys.
County Attorney Randy Autio said while the law lacks clarity in some areas, booking sheets are inherently related to arrest records that are already in the public domain.
The county released the information Wednesday.