"Trouble with the Law: New Mexico Prosecutors Are Keeping Secrets About Credibility Issues with Cops"

Strategic Insights -

New Mexico prosecutors maintain secret lists of law enforcement officers and sheriff's deputies whose credibility could potentially damage a prosecution case, but the lists are not standardized, and the reasons for a cop's inclusion vary greatly between district attorney's offices. A searchlight by Searchlight New Mexico found that nearly 100 current and former law enforcement officers have been deemed as a cause for concern, with allegations ranging from embezzlement and tampering with evidence to domestic violence and child pornography. The list includes officers from Las Cruces to Santa Fe, from Hobbs to Socorro, with many having been terminated, reprimanded, or sentenced to prison.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nearly 100 current and former law enforcement officers in New Mexico have been deemed as a cause for concern by prosecutors, with allegations ranging from embezzlement and tampering with evidence to domestic violence and child pornography.
  • The lists of officers with credibility issues, known as Brady Lists, are maintained internally by prosecutors' offices and serve as guideposts for which officers to question.
  • The New Mexico state's district attorneys' offices vary in how they maintain and share these lists, with some District Attorney offices publishing the names of Brady List officers on their public website.
  • Searchlight New Mexico found that the Seventh Judicial District Attorney's Office did not provide any internal memos or correspondence about the officers listed on their Brady List, but instead provided police reports, court documents, and other information that explain why they are on the office's Brady List.
  • The 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office shared a spreadsheet with the names of each officer on its Brady List, but the spreadsheet did not readily identify which law enforcement agency each officer and deputy works or worked for.
  • Prosecutors have internally expressed concerns about police officers and sheriff's deputies documented on these lists, but the specific reasons for this concern vary.
  • Many of the officers on the list have been terminated, reprimanded, or sentenced to prison for their alleged misconduct.
  • These concerns about police officers and sheriff's deputies underscore the complexity and controversy surrounding law enforcement and the need for transparency about their credibility.

Statistics:

  • Nearly 100 current and former law enforcement officers in New Mexico have been deemed as a cause for concern by prosecutors.
  • The lists of officers with credibility issues, known as Brady Lists, serve as guideposts for which officers to question in court.
  • The District Attorney's office in Bernalillo County provides supporting documentation, such as emails and correspondence, for internal investigations into officers' conduct.
  • The Third Judicial District Attorney's Office provided a two-page document titled, "Potential Giglio Officers," with officers' employers and brief notes from prosecutors as to why each one may be a risk to put on the stand.
  • The 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office shared a spreadsheet with the names of each officer on its Brady List.
  • Searchlight New Mexico found that the Seventh Judicial District Attorney's Office did not provide any internal memos or correspondence about the officers listed on their Brady List.

Sources:

  • Searchlight New Mexico article "Trouble with the Law: New Mexico Prosecutors Are Keeping Secrets About Credibility Issues with Cops"
  • Seventh Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office
  • Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office
  • Third Judicial District Attorney's Office