DAILY LOBO new mexico
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tuesday February 12, 2013
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
Feds host forums on APD Dept. of Justice investigating string of APD shootings by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com
The Department of Justice heard residents’ complaints about the Albuquerque Police Department’s use of force during an open forum Monday night as part of the DOJ’s investigation into APD. Luis Saucedo, acting deputy chief of the Special Litigation Unit of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said the division is conducting the investigation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said the DOJ launched the investigation following a number of shootings by APD officers during the past two years. He said it is the District Attorney’s duty to prosecute officers who have committed offenses. The investigation will explore the use of unreasonable force by police. The forum was the first of many in the DOJ’s investigation, he said. “You can prosecute individual officers, but the underlying problems are more ingrained,” he said. “We have to diagnose what might be causing or contributing to that.” Saucedo said the Civil Rights Division is authorized to investigate police departments nationwide, and APD agreed to
participate in the investigation. Saucedo said the division will examine APD officers’ training and the number of supervisors who monitor officers’ use of physical force in the field. “We’re not just going to sit back in D.C. and review policies,” he said. The investigation began in November and should take about a
“You can prosecute individual officers, but the underlying problems are more ingrained” ~Luis Saucedo acting deputy chief year to complete. Saucedo said the division will only comment on APD’s operations after it finishes the investigation. About 100 people attended the forum to voice their complaints about APD. Albuquerque resident Kathy Fuentes said that five years ago, police shot her son seven times in her home. She said that although private investigators did not see any proof that her son, who was 39
at the time, owned guns, APD officers insisted that he threatened police with a firearm and that’s why officers shot him. “We had three sons, and the first two had passed away. And APD took away the only son we had who was doing a wonderful job taking care of his kids,” she said. Fuentes said she and her family tried to sue APD, and that they hired a private investigator, but she said their efforts have left the family bankrupt. “My grandson was six months of age, and my granddaughter was 11 years of age,” she said. “It has really affected her in all her abilities … and she’s taking it really hard. She really loved her dad. She said there will never be a dad that will take his place.” Silvio Dell’Angela, who was president of the Eisenhower Area Neighborhood Association in the Northeast Heights for 10 years, said he witnessed APD’s abuse of force during his term. He said about 25 APD officers responded to a call about his neighbor’s house and were able to force the neighbor out of his house. “So he finally came out of the house, essentially surrendering, and they shot him on the driveway, and he was still alive, and they shot him four more times and killed,” he said. “And they dragged
Juan Labreche / Daily Lobo Doris Millsaps holds paperwork she said was evidence of APD’s mistreatment of her son. The Department of Justice is holding public forums as part of its investigation of the recent string of APD shootings, but required anyone making a claim to provide physical evidence. his whole body.” Paul Heh, a former APD officer for 25 years, said the investigation shouldn’t focus on just the police’s abusive use of force. “The bigger problem is the culture of corruption that starts with the top. The DOJ’s got to open every door,” he said. Heh said that as a former officer, he has always spoken up about the department’s offenses. But he said it is unlikely other officers will speak out against APD. “Everybody’s afraid to open their mouth, because if you open your mouth in APD, you get targeted,” he said. “If you get targeted, they send their hit squad, Internal Affairs, to get something on you.” Saucedo said the open forums
are an important part of his team’s investigation. He urged people who have grievances against APD to contact the DOJ directly.
For a one-on-one meeting with a DOJ agent or attorney: call, toll free: 855-544-5134 email: community.albuquerque@usdoj.gov Department of Justice APD open forum Wednesday 5:30 p.m. Alamosa Community Center 6900 Gonzales Road S.W.
Gun control back on the table UNM gets major IN SESSION
Revised bill would restrict only gun-show rules by John Tyczkowski news@dailylobo.com
The once-defeated Firearms Transfer Act has returned to active debate in the Legislature after it was revised to focus exclusively on gun shows. The first version of House Bill 77, which aimed to increase restrictions on firearms purchased in New Mexico, stalled in the House two weeks ago after its provisions were deemed overbroad and excessively restrictive by a fiscal impact report. The amended HB 77, sponsored by Rep. Miguel Garcia (DAlbuquerque), passed through the House Judiciary Committee on Friday night, 13-3. It is slated to be debated by the full House on Wednesday. In addition to narrowing the legal focus to gun shows, the revision scraps the proposed New Mexico-specific legal definitions for who may or may not possess a firearm and instead relies on the federal legal standard, the Brady Act. The first draft of HB 77 contained two provisions: denying people a firearm if they are under 18 years of age or if they
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are prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under federal law. The revision adds several provisions regarding gun sales at gun shows that are present in federal but not state law. In the revision, non-federally licensed firearms dealers may not transfer firearms to non-federally licensed buyers or buyers who don’t have a New Mexico concealed handgun carry permit, unless the transfer is overseen by a federally licensed dealer. The licensed dealer is then responsible for stopping the transfer if the subsequent background check reveals the buyer is prohibited from firearm possession. It also provides backgroundcheck exemptions for buyers purchasing “antique or relic firearms.” The revision also makes it a misdemeanor to transfer a firearm to an unlicensed buyer or to a person known to be prohibited from possessing a firearm, and makes it a petty misdemeanor for an organizer of a gun show to fail to arrange for one or more federally licensed firearms dealers to be on the premises during the show. Finally, it establishes the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System as the system used to verify prospective
purchasers’ eligibility and eliminates the creation of a New Mexico criminal background check system proposed in the original bill. In Senate news, UNM Medical School faculty could see their pay rise and the UNM Health Sciences Center could get the resources to support additional nursing students if the two bills proposing such measures pass. On Friday, Senate Bill 53, “Retain UNM Medical School Faculty,” and Senate Bill 57, “UNM Health Center Nursing Enrollment”, both sponsored by Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R-Sandia Park), passed unanimously through the Senate Education Committee. Both bills are scheduled to be heard next in the Senate Finance Committee, hearing date to be determined. SB 53 would appropriate $1.3 million to raise UNM Medical School faculty salaries to meet the national average. According to the fiscal impact report, recently hired faculty members are paid more than long-time faculty. A cited report released last year by the Association of American Medical Colleges showed that UNM Medical School faculty salaries are “well below” the national average. The appropriation would allow faculty salaries to rise to
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Deadly cuteness
People acted
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in Chicano studies Major had been sought at UNM for decades by Tanya Prather
news@dailylobo.com Forty-two years after plans were set in motion, a Chicana and Chicano Studies major exists at UNM. Chicana Studies student Olivia Romo said this is an important step for her and the University. “Being from Taos and being from a very rural community was difficult to make it. When I got here, this program really embraced me and kind of helped me figure out my profession and my goals for the future. This degree is going to help provide me with a career,” Romo said. A unanimous vote at Monday’s Board of Regents meeting was the final step in creating the major. Cheers could be heard from outside the SUB ballroom after the proposal was approved. “This is a historic moment and I feel very empowered to be one of the first to graduate from UNM with a major in Chicana Studies,” Romo said. The regents also approved certificates in transnational Chicano studies and in New Mexico cultural landscapes. The certificates each
require 15 credit hours of relevant courses in the College of Arts and Sciences. Regents also discussed dwindling Lottery Scholarship funds, which are projected to run out this July. ASUNM President Caroline Muraida urged regents away from what she called the “butcher’s cleaver” approach of broad funding cuts, and stressed what she called a “scalpel” approach. Muraida said officials should re-evaluate the terms of the Lottery Scholarship by taking student income levels into consideration. The scholarship awards full tuition for all students from New Mexico and the award is based on the student’s ability to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and take 12 credit hours per semester, among other restrictions. “The percentage of award will be based on your ability to pay. If you are high income you will receive less than low-income students,” Muraida said. “We’re pushing for both a merit and needs-based approach.” Members of the board said that it may take about a year to work out all of the issues with the Lottery Scholarship. Regents also discussed UNM 2020, a four-part initiative to
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