News
July 18, 2023
๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฃ๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ $๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฒโ๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฑ๐ข๐๐จ.
The funding will help clear the backlog of around 5,000 outstanding felony warrants in the state.
โIf youโre abusing the pretrial system in New Mexico: Your time is up,โ said Gov. Lujan Grisham. โViolent offenders and people who repeatedly violate their parole should not be able to stay in our communities freely. By giving this funding to district attorneys for the first time, weโre expecting to see more cases being prosecuted. But we still need more tools โ we must pass reforms to our pretrial detention process that balance the rights of the accused and the rights of the public in the 2024 session.โ
ย
“Just like with our pretrial detention motions, this money for warrants will help us get violent individuals off the streets,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.
ย
โThe District Attorneys are excited to collaborate with our law enforcement agencies in maximizing the warrant roundup appropriations,โ said Marcus J. Montoya, New Mexico District Attorney Association President. โTogether we will identify the highest priorities to best ensure accountability and public safety. We thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Legislature for making this a possibility.โ
ย
Half of the funding will go to the Bernalillo County District Attorneyโs office, then $1 million will be allocated to the district attorneysโ offices for each of the three next largest judicial districts, the 1st Judicial District, the 3rd Judicial District, and the 13th Judicial District. Then $2 million will be distributed between the district attorneysโ offices in the remaining nine judicial districts on a per capita basis.
ย
Right now, the state requires prosecutors present evidence proving a defendant is too dangerous to be released before the trial. Since the beginning of her administration, Gov. Lujan Grisham has called for comprehensive reforms to the pretrial detention process in the state and plans to call, once again, for reforms in the upcoming session.
Posted in News, Press Release