DWI Scandal Question Lingers: Why Is Media Coverage Of Federal Plea Hearings For Guilty APD Cops So Scant?, Plus: Senior City Councilor Defends Performance Of APD Chief Medina

KRQE-TV attempted to get an explanation from the Federal Court and the US Attorney's office on why the numerous plea bargain hearings for APD officers snared in the DWI bribery investigation are not being publicized. That's so the station and other media can show (and question) the disgraced cops and their attorneys entering the Federal building and also listen in on the plea hearings where the public is allowed but cameras are not. 

The explanation offered may be disconcerting to open government advocates:

Chief Deputy of the U.S. District Court, Heather Small, explained that because prosecutors are filing the charging document in conjunction with the officers’ plea, the court can’t assign a case number to establish the officers’ case until the plea hearing actually occurs. . .According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. . .the people admitting to their roles in the scheme have skipped the judge and jury, waiving their right to a grand jury as part of the plea agreement. That means the charges aren’t filed until the plea happens, so there is nothing for the public to view in court databases before the officers appear in court.

"Nothing for the public to view in court databases?"

Perhaps the Chief Deputy and the public information officer at the USA's office can make hearings that are scheduled on short notice known to the media and other interested parties by simple phone calls or messages? That's an old school "database" that works quite well. 

The lack of coverage of the hearings has raised suspicions that unlike other federal defendants, the APD bribery cops are being given special treatment.

Soon the sentencing hearings will begin for the guilty officers. Those should be in the database beforehand and the public's right to know (and see) not blocked.

BACKING THE CHIEF

Councilor Peña

After that roasting given to APD Chief Harold Medina by City Councilor and mayoral candidate Louis Sanchez at last Thursday's meeting and which we blogged of yesterday, here is a rebuttal made at that same meeting by Klarissa Peña, the senior member of the nine member council who represents southwest District 3:

I want to commend you for all the work that you’ve done. You’ve been asked to reduce crime, you reduced crime. You’ve asked to get DOJ out of the city Albuquerque. You’re in the process of getting them out. You implemented speeding cameras which has helped to reduce speeding, although it’s still a persistent problem. We put ShotSpotter throughout the city. That’s another tool that we’ve been able to utilize to identify guns and there’s people that have been caught as a result. We did just had a community conversation that you were at. You were at some community events that I was at recently. It was just a small survey but it was done for District 3. The people who responded to that survey said that they feel safe in their community and that they feel that law enforcement is responding to their concerns.  

Councilor Peña, elected in 2013, is seeking a fourth term this year. She is being challenged by retired Navy officer Chris Sedillo. 

Peña has endorsed Mayor Keller who is seeking a third term at the November election. Her full remarks on Medina can be seen here at the 4 hour 57 mark. 

As the mayoral race heats up, we remain intent on providing our traditional fair and balanced coverage.

RICH KID?

Reader Diane Ochoa comes with some spicy remarks on the expected GOP gubernatorial candidacy of former Lt, Governor John Sanchez:

A Trump supported candidate for governor of New Mexico? That's laughable especially one with a reputation as a vendido rich kid. All I can respond with is please AG Raul Torrez run for the Democratic nomination for Governor ! You will win in a landslide. Put a little pizazz into the election with all these boring candidates--both Dems and Reps--that are putting me to sleep with their silly antics in their campaigns. 

But what do you really think, Diane?

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