http://www.muckrakersguide.com A citizen's information resource Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:12:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28734-usama.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28734-usama.html#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 16:28:57 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://3822003fa0727cf35d5a002c6c3c4612 Posted on the FBI web site at http://www.fbi.gov. "Usama Bin Laden Deceased."
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]]> Posted on the FBI web site at http://www.fbi.gov. "Usama Bin Laden Deceased."
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28734-usama.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/crime-blotter-mainmenu-59/28733-breaking-arrest-made-in-3-bank-robberies.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/crime-blotter-mainmenu-59/28733-breaking-arrest-made-in-3-bank-robberies.html#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:10:59 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://eb0ac7c313baf050cad356f3524d3f8d . . .

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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/crime-blotter-mainmenu-59/28733-breaking-arrest-made-in-3-bank-robberies.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28732-andy-stiny-for-the-journal.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28732-andy-stiny-for-the-journal.html#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:14:40 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://e28785dd43a82881cf2309c25abf8418 Court Holds Hearing In Santa Fe   SANTA FE -- Taos state District Judge Sam Sanchez faces removal from the bench. "We are seriously contemplating removal," said chief supreme court justice Charles Daniels this morning, at the end of a hearing to decide on possible discipline of Sanchez.  The hearing dealt with the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission recommendation that Sanchez be suspended for 30 days and reprimanded after he ordered the mass arrest of spectators in his courtroom  following a November 2009 sentencing reconsideration hearing involving a Taos Pueblo member.  Sanchez ordered 32 people, all but one tribal members, arrested for contempt after an outburst following a reaction to his decision to not change the sentencing. The tribal members had showed up to support the defendant, an adult who had been convicted of raping of a 12-year-old girl who was a distant relative.  Daniels said if Sanchez were to voluntarily resign by 5 p.m. on Monday, "It may not be necessary to go further." Daniels said otherwise the court would issue a decision in less than a week in which they will apparently consider under what circumstances the judge could collect retirement benefits.  Daniels and other justices expressed concern that in his actions Sanchez had neglected the arrestees presumption of innocence, made no attempt to find out who was disruptive and they were concerned over his statements that he didn't know he couldn't put innocent people in jail. Sanchez and his attorney left the courtroom through a side door and were not immediately available for comment.  Ethel Lujan, who was one of those arrested, was asked if she thought Sanchez should resign. "He should if he has got any sense," she responded.
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]]> Court Holds Hearing In Santa Fe   SANTA FE -- Taos state District Judge Sam Sanchez faces removal from the bench. "We are seriously contemplating removal," said chief supreme court justice Charles Daniels this morning, at the end of a hearing to decide on possible discipline of Sanchez.  The hearing dealt with the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission recommendation that Sanchez be suspended for 30 days and reprimanded after he ordered the mass arrest of spectators in his courtroom  following a November 2009 sentencing reconsideration hearing involving a Taos Pueblo member.  Sanchez ordered 32 people, all but one tribal members, arrested for contempt after an outburst following a reaction to his decision to not change the sentencing. The tribal members had showed up to support the defendant, an adult who had been convicted of raping of a 12-year-old girl who was a distant relative.  Daniels said if Sanchez were to voluntarily resign by 5 p.m. on Monday, "It may not be necessary to go further." Daniels said otherwise the court would issue a decision in less than a week in which they will apparently consider under what circumstances the judge could collect retirement benefits.  Daniels and other justices expressed concern that in his actions Sanchez had neglected the arrestees presumption of innocence, made no attempt to find out who was disruptive and they were concerned over his statements that he didn't know he couldn't put innocent people in jail. Sanchez and his attorney left the courtroom through a side door and were not immediately available for comment.  Ethel Lujan, who was one of those arrested, was asked if she thought Sanchez should resign. "He should if he has got any sense," she responded.
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28732-andy-stiny-for-the-journal.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28731-owens.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28731-owens.html#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:26:56 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://5259397a00a811c9652b01f2342bc341 Scott Owens and his attorney, Dan Cron, listen Tuesday as not-guilty verdicts in his vehicular homicide case are read in state District Court in Santa Fe. Not Guilty (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)
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]]> Scott Owens and his attorney, Dan Cron, listen Tuesday as not-guilty verdicts in his vehicular homicide case are read in state District Court in Santa Fe. Not Guilty (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/photo/28731-owens.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28730-vic-vela.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28730-vic-vela.html#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:56:40 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://d1e974ea2cf02f032727746068642efd  Defense Said Teen Drivers Helped Cause Crash That Killed Four   Vehicular homicide defendant Scott Owens has been found not guilty on all counts, concluding his trial on charges that he caused the deaths of four teens in a 2009 crash east of Santa Fe. Owens admitted he was driving drunk behind the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee west on Old Las Vegas when he T-boned a red Subaru that was being driven by 16-year-old Avree Koffman. The young Koffman was driving the lead car in a four-vehicle caravan of teens, who were on their way to a party in Eldorado. But the defense maintained that the teens were driving erratically leading up to the post-midnight accident. Koffman's four passengers were all killed: Alyssa Trouw, Julian Martinez and Kate Klein, all 16; and Rose Simmons, 15. Koffman suffered serious injuries. It has been stipulated at trial that Owens, who was on his way back into Santa Fe from a barbecue at Rowe Mesa, was drunk at the time of the crash. His blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 percent was twice the legal limit for a driver in New Mexico. The main question is whether Owens was at fault in the crash, regardless of the fact he was drunk. Prosecutors argued that Owens caused the wreck because he was in the wrong lane when he struck Koffman's Subaru. Their theory was that Koffman had to swerve into Owens' lane to avoid his Jeep and, when Owens himself swerved in the opposite direction, he T-boned the passenger side of the red Subaru. But Owens' defense was that he was in his proper lane and that it was erratic driving on the part of the teens that caused the wreck. Jurors weighed defense evidence that Koffman's red Subaru made contact with a white Subaru that was travelling immediately behind Koffman's in the caravan. The defense wanted jurors to consider the possibility that the driver of the white Subaru, 16-year-old Taylor Johnson, struck Koffman's vehicle as Johnson was driving on the highway's shoulder, side-by-side with the red Subaru. That contact forced Koffman to enter Owens' lane, causing the accident, according to defense attorney Dan Cron.  Owens faced four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily injury by vehicle.            
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]]>  Defense Said Teen Drivers Helped Cause Crash That Killed Four   Vehicular homicide defendant Scott Owens has been found not guilty on all counts, concluding his trial on charges that he caused the deaths of four teens in a 2009 crash east of Santa Fe. Owens admitted he was driving drunk behind the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee west on Old Las Vegas when he T-boned a red Subaru that was being driven by 16-year-old Avree Koffman. The young Koffman was driving the lead car in a four-vehicle caravan of teens, who were on their way to a party in Eldorado. But the defense maintained that the teens were driving erratically leading up to the post-midnight accident. Koffman's four passengers were all killed: Alyssa Trouw, Julian Martinez and Kate Klein, all 16; and Rose Simmons, 15. Koffman suffered serious injuries. It has been stipulated at trial that Owens, who was on his way back into Santa Fe from a barbecue at Rowe Mesa, was drunk at the time of the crash. His blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 percent was twice the legal limit for a driver in New Mexico. The main question is whether Owens was at fault in the crash, regardless of the fact he was drunk. Prosecutors argued that Owens caused the wreck because he was in the wrong lane when he struck Koffman's Subaru. Their theory was that Koffman had to swerve into Owens' lane to avoid his Jeep and, when Owens himself swerved in the opposite direction, he T-boned the passenger side of the red Subaru. But Owens' defense was that he was in his proper lane and that it was erratic driving on the part of the teens that caused the wreck. Jurors weighed defense evidence that Koffman's red Subaru made contact with a white Subaru that was travelling immediately behind Koffman's in the caravan. The defense wanted jurors to consider the possibility that the driver of the white Subaru, 16-year-old Taylor Johnson, struck Koffman's vehicle as Johnson was driving on the highway's shoulder, side-by-side with the red Subaru. That contact forced Koffman to enter Owens' lane, causing the accident, according to defense attorney Dan Cron.  Owens faced four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily injury by vehicle.            
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28730-vic-vela.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28729-vic-vela.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28729-vic-vela.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:55:05 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://dd31c2c3e59530189791c8c4ef669f0f Lawyers Make Final Arguments in Vehicular Homicide Case Jury deliberations have begun in the Scott Owens vehicular homicide trial. Owens, 29, is accused of driving drunk on Old Las Vegas Highway two summers ago and causing a wreck that took the lives of four Santa Fe teenagers: Alyssa Trow, Julian Martinez, and Kate Klein, all 16; and Rose Simmons, 15. Another teen, 16-year-old Avree Koffman, was seriously injured in the crash that took place just after midnight on June 28, 2009. State District Judge Michael Vigil sent away the jury to begin deliberations at 1:20 p.m. today, after attorneys in the case presented to jurors their closing arguments. It was stipulated at trial that Owens was drunk at the time of the crash. But his attorney, Dan Cron, argued during his closing remarks that the fault of the crash was not his client's. Cron said that what the case boils down to is whether Owens was in the wrong lane at the time of the crash. The prosecution believes so, but Cron told the jury that "things aren't quite so black and white as they've been portrayed." Cron said that not only was Owens in the proper lane of travel - as expert witnesses for the defense maintained during the trial - the accident actually was caused by erratic driving on the part of the teenagers leading up to the crash. Several teens were traveling in a caravan of vehicles that were heading east on Old Las Vegas Highway, on their way to a party in Eldorado. Owens was traveling the opposite direction, coming back from a barbecue at Rowe Mesa. Owens ended up T-boning a red Subaru that was being driven by 16-year-old Avree Koffman, the lead vehicle in the caravan. The wreck occured in Owens' lane. Cron says that Koffman's red Subaru made contact with the vehicle that was traveling immediately behind hers, a white Subaru that was driven by Taylor Johnson. The defense attorney maintained that the contact between the teens' cars occurred prior to the fatal collision between Owens' Jeep and Koffman's Subaru. That between the Subarus contact, which was the result of Johnson driving recklessly, caused Koffman's vehicle to enter Owens' lane,  Cron argued. But prosecutors completely disagree with that theory. In his closing remarks, Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Couleur argued that not only was Owens drunk, he was in the wrong lane at the time of the crash. Owens' actions were "a significant cause" of the carnage from two summers ago, Couleur told the jury. He argued that the evidence at the scene doesn't match up with Cron's theory. The prosecutor said that if Owens was indeed in his proper lane of travel, "well, then it's a bumper to bumper" accident. Couleur also told jurors that if Cron's theory were correct, then they would have to "disregard" all of the testimony of all those who were at the scene that evening who backed up the idea that Owens caused the crash. The closing remarks marked day six of the trial. Jury selection took all day last Monday. Owens faces four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily injury by vehicle. If convicted, he faces up to 27 years in prison on the charges alone. Another 20 years behind bars could be tacked on sentencing due to a prior Owens DWI, if he is convicted.  
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]]> Lawyers Make Final Arguments in Vehicular Homicide Case Jury deliberations have begun in the Scott Owens vehicular homicide trial. Owens, 29, is accused of driving drunk on Old Las Vegas Highway two summers ago and causing a wreck that took the lives of four Santa Fe teenagers: Alyssa Trow, Julian Martinez, and Kate Klein, all 16; and Rose Simmons, 15. Another teen, 16-year-old Avree Koffman, was seriously injured in the crash that took place just after midnight on June 28, 2009. State District Judge Michael Vigil sent away the jury to begin deliberations at 1:20 p.m. today, after attorneys in the case presented to jurors their closing arguments. It was stipulated at trial that Owens was drunk at the time of the crash. But his attorney, Dan Cron, argued during his closing remarks that the fault of the crash was not his client's. Cron said that what the case boils down to is whether Owens was in the wrong lane at the time of the crash. The prosecution believes so, but Cron told the jury that "things aren't quite so black and white as they've been portrayed." Cron said that not only was Owens in the proper lane of travel - as expert witnesses for the defense maintained during the trial - the accident actually was caused by erratic driving on the part of the teenagers leading up to the crash. Several teens were traveling in a caravan of vehicles that were heading east on Old Las Vegas Highway, on their way to a party in Eldorado. Owens was traveling the opposite direction, coming back from a barbecue at Rowe Mesa. Owens ended up T-boning a red Subaru that was being driven by 16-year-old Avree Koffman, the lead vehicle in the caravan. The wreck occured in Owens' lane. Cron says that Koffman's red Subaru made contact with the vehicle that was traveling immediately behind hers, a white Subaru that was driven by Taylor Johnson. The defense attorney maintained that the contact between the teens' cars occurred prior to the fatal collision between Owens' Jeep and Koffman's Subaru. That between the Subarus contact, which was the result of Johnson driving recklessly, caused Koffman's vehicle to enter Owens' lane,  Cron argued. But prosecutors completely disagree with that theory. In his closing remarks, Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Couleur argued that not only was Owens drunk, he was in the wrong lane at the time of the crash. Owens' actions were "a significant cause" of the carnage from two summers ago, Couleur told the jury. He argued that the evidence at the scene doesn't match up with Cron's theory. The prosecutor said that if Owens was indeed in his proper lane of travel, "well, then it's a bumper to bumper" accident. Couleur also told jurors that if Cron's theory were correct, then they would have to "disregard" all of the testimony of all those who were at the scene that evening who backed up the idea that Owens caused the crash. The closing remarks marked day six of the trial. Jury selection took all day last Monday. Owens faces four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily injury by vehicle. If convicted, he faces up to 27 years in prison on the charges alone. Another 20 years behind bars could be tacked on sentencing due to a prior Owens DWI, if he is convicted.  
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/northsanta-fe/28729-vic-vela.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28728-manhunt-under-way.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28728-manhunt-under-way.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:42:23 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://350914a5fbbab22eeeb73bc1a509b0ab 3 federal prisoners escape from Luna County jail A manhunt is under way for one of three federal prisoners who escaped from the Luna County Detention Center in Deming.  A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter crew spotted two of the men at about dawn on Monday and they were taken into custody.  Multiple law enforcement agencies are still searching for the third suspect. He is identified as 30-year-old Mario Martinez-Rios. He was being held on charges of entering the U.S. illegally.
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]]> 3 federal prisoners escape from Luna County jail A manhunt is under way for one of three federal prisoners who escaped from the Luna County Detention Center in Deming.  A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter crew spotted two of the men at about dawn on Monday and they were taken into custody.  Multiple law enforcement agencies are still searching for the third suspect. He is identified as 30-year-old Mario Martinez-Rios. He was being held on charges of entering the U.S. illegally.
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28728-manhunt-under-way.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28727-santa-fe-considers-bee-ordinance.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28727-santa-fe-considers-bee-ordinance.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:12:29 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://62c130d404530854544750de8d0329ea Some question need for more rules The city of Santa Fe may buzz into the bee regulating business under a new proposal from City Councilor Carmichael Dominguez. But some in the New Mexico beekeeping community are questioning the need for the additional rules and bureaucracy.  Dominguez said he introduced the ordinance after fielding complaints about a beekeeper in his south Santa Fe district. Some neighbors "had some concerns because there were kids and members of the family who were allergic to bees," Dominguez said.  "I think it's relatively simple. This is something that has come from the constituency," Dominguez said.  His ordinance would require local beekeepers to register their apiaries with the city each year, a task that would include showing proof of an annual state inspection.  Beekeepers would also have to follow a handful of regulations that include keeping bees in movable frame hives, providing the insects with a source of water and limiting beekeepers on lots les than 10,000 square feet to four hives.  The measure would also prohibit colonies within 75 feet of a property line unless the bees are behind a wall, fence or dense vegetation barrier at least six feet high and extending 25 feet beyond the bees in every direction.  City staffers put the ordinance together after researching beekeeping regulations in other areas of the country, Dominguez said.
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]]> Some question need for more rules The city of Santa Fe may buzz into the bee regulating business under a new proposal from City Councilor Carmichael Dominguez. But some in the New Mexico beekeeping community are questioning the need for the additional rules and bureaucracy.  Dominguez said he introduced the ordinance after fielding complaints about a beekeeper in his south Santa Fe district. Some neighbors "had some concerns because there were kids and members of the family who were allergic to bees," Dominguez said.  "I think it's relatively simple. This is something that has come from the constituency," Dominguez said.  His ordinance would require local beekeepers to register their apiaries with the city each year, a task that would include showing proof of an annual state inspection.  Beekeepers would also have to follow a handful of regulations that include keeping bees in movable frame hives, providing the insects with a source of water and limiting beekeepers on lots les than 10,000 square feet to four hives.  The measure would also prohibit colonies within 75 feet of a property line unless the bees are behind a wall, fence or dense vegetation barrier at least six feet high and extending 25 feet beyond the bees in every direction.  City staffers put the ordinance together after researching beekeeping regulations in other areas of the country, Dominguez said.
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28727-santa-fe-considers-bee-ordinance.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28726-warm-windy-week-on-the-way.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28726-warm-windy-week-on-the-way.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:38:48 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://e0b0ec9facdfeec7abe612bbb2c055e8 Highs in Albuquerque hover around 80 The entire state is under Red Flag Warnings today issued by the National Weather Service as we head into another week of warm, windy weather. Highs in the Albuquerque area for most of this week will be near 80 with windy days at least Monday and Tuesday. Here's the official forecast from the NWS: Today: Sunny, with a high near 83. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.   Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to between 5 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.   Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.  
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]]> Highs in Albuquerque hover around 80 The entire state is under Red Flag Warnings today issued by the National Weather Service as we head into another week of warm, windy weather. Highs in the Albuquerque area for most of this week will be near 80 with windy days at least Monday and Tuesday. Here's the official forecast from the NWS: Today: Sunny, with a high near 83. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.   Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to between 5 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.   Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.  
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]]> http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28726-warm-windy-week-on-the-way.html/feed/ 0 http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28725-tire-fire-mostly-contained.html http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/28725-tire-fire-mostly-contained.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:32:16 +0000 Jessica Dyer tag:www.abqjournal.com://877ef2a4fc9da92d90373d3babf7c950 Fire near Clovis destroys three homes Sparks from the rim of vehicle that blew its tire has ignited a grass fire that has destroyed three homes and charred over 3,500 acres southwest of Clovis. The fire was reported Sunday afternoon six miles south of Melrose on Highway 267, according to KOB-TV  Both Curry and Roosevelt County fire departments are on the scene in a joint effort to contain the blaze. Structure protection and additional resources have been requested from local fire departments. As of Monday morning, the fire was 80 percent contained, the station reported.    
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]]> Fire near Clovis destroys three homes Sparks from the rim of vehicle that blew its tire has ignited a grass fire that has destroyed three homes and charred over 3,500 acres southwest of Clovis. The fire was reported Sunday afternoon six miles south of Melrose on Highway 267, according to KOB-TV  Both Curry and Roosevelt County fire departments are on the scene in a joint effort to contain the blaze. Structure protection and additional resources have been requested from local fire departments. As of Monday morning, the fire was 80 percent contained, the station reported.    
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