05 09 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 123, No. 112 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

May 9, 2014

City demos upset some, please others

FRIDAY

www.rdrnews.com

JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER

City Council approved a resolution Thursday night mandating the removal or demolition of five structures in the city, including a northside home some neighbors said whose owners had not been given enough time to make repairs since a February fire. The resolution was adopted by the council Thursday on its consent agenda, meaning there was no discussion among the council and Mayor Dennis Kintigh. None of the property owners or others spoke about the condemnations. The resolution requires owners of the condemned properties to take action within 15 days, or face property liens for the costs to the city to demolish the structures. “Demolition by the city will proceed if no action is taken,” the resolution states. “These structures constitute a public nuisance harmful to the public health, safety and general welfare.” Owners of the condemned properties have 10 days from receiving notice to appeal the condemnations and request hearings before the City Council. The five structures slated for demolition are at 1605 S. Kansas Ave., owned by Donald Varela of Roswell; 1503 S. Garden Ave., owned by Rocio and Rodrigo Cazares of Artesia; 707 W. Ninth St., owned by Joyce Aguilar of Roswell; 1317 N. Maple Ave., owned by William Knudson of Roswell; and 310 Swinging Spear Road, owned by Alfonso and Kimberly Rodriguez of Roswell. Virgil and Sylvia Woods said they have been taking care of the Rodriguez home on Swinging Bear Road since the Feb. 1 fire displaced the Rodriguez

family. The couple said they mowed the yard of the Rodriguez home Wednesday to make the property look a little better, but were shocked to lear n Thursday it had been targeted for demolition by city leaders. “I carried mail here 35 years,” Virgil Woods said. “I’ve seen houses vacant for 20 years. This house has been left 2-1/2 months. The lady hasn’t had time to take care of her personal stuff yet.” Virgil and Sylvia Woods said Kimberly Rodriguez was home alone at the time of the early morning fire Feb. 1. Kimberly Rodriguez suffered injuries as a result of the blaze and was flown to Lubbock, Texas, for further treatment after being treated at a local hospital. She could not be reached for comment. “She was in the hospital in Lubbock for two weeks,”

Jeff Tucker Photos

Above: Virgil Woods looks over the back of a house at 310 Swinging Spear Road he and his wife have been maintaining since the home burned on Feb. 1, displacing its residents. The home has been targeted for demolition by Roswell city leaders. Virgil Woods and his wife said their neighbors, homeowners Kimberly and Alfonso Rodriguez, have not been given enough time to make repairs. Left: This structure at 1503 S. Garden Ave., owned by Rocio and Rodrigo Cazares of Artesia, is among five structures city leaders say are dilapidated, open to the public, and have inadequate maintenance. Below: These two properties at 1003 and 1005 S. Lea Ave. are among 79 separate properties the City Council on Thursday required the property owners to clean up.

Roswell police officers exonerated in shooting

See DEMOS, Page A3

RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER

Randal Seyler Photo

Mayor Dennis Kintigh, from left, Police Chief Phillip Smith and District Attorney Janetta B. Hicks discuss the exoneration of two Roswell Police Department officers after a jury concluded that the officers had not violated the rights of Rudy Lucero through the use of excessive force in 2009 when Lucero was killed in a shootout with police.

Mayor Dennis Kintigh announced that a jury in a federal civil rights case exonerated two Roswell Police officers on Wednesday. The lawsuit stemmed from the Sept. 23, 2009, gunfight in which Rudy “Vato” Lucero was killed by Roswell Police officers. “Family members of Lucero initiated a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of Roswell and the RPD officers,” the mayor said. “Claims of racial profiling and use of excessive force were pursued by two

highly regarded trial lawyers, Damon Richards, of Lubbock, Texas, and Gary Mitchell, of Ruidoso.” Lucero, 26, pulled a gun and opened fire on two Roswell Police officers after they attempted to approach him. Kintigh said Lucero’s behavior made the officers suspicious. Lucero was wanted on a federal warrant for violation of his supervised release, but the two Roswell officers did not know that he was wanted as they approached him, Kintigh said during a press conference at City Hall. The police officers fired 18 shots, and Lucero had

six spent casings in his .38 caliber revolver. Several of Lucero’s wounds were to his backside, which was consistent with the officers’ testimony that Lucero fled as he shot back at the officers. The shootout ended when Lucero was shot in the head by one of the officers. Lucero had served time as a juvenile for shooting at a police officer in 1998, the mayor said, and had also served time after being arrested as a felon in possession of a firearm. “Presiding Federal Magistrate Judge Car men E. See SHOOTING, Page A2

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HIGH 89 LOW 54

TODAY’S FORECAST

• ANTONIA “TONI” ESCOBAR VALDEZ

TODAY’S OBITUARY PAGE A9

CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7

COMICS .................B6

FINANCIAL ..............B3

INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2 OPINION .................A4

SPORTS .................B1

WEATHER ............A10

WORLD ..................A8


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