Log In


Reset Password
News Education Local News Nation & World New Mexico

Police officers charged with murder: Disqualify DA

Albuquerque police have accused lead prosecutor of bribery
Brandenburg

ALBUQUERQUE – Two Albuquerque officers facing murder charges for the shooting death of a homeless man want the district attorney who charged them disqualified.

Lawyers for Albuquerque SWAT team member Dominique Perez and former detective Keith Sandy filed a joint motion Thursday to remove Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg from the case because of a conflict of interest.

The lawyers say both men have helped the district attorney’s office in the past on other cases. The lawyers also say that bribery allegations made by Albuquerque police against Brandenburg tainted her efforts to proceed without the appearance of bias.

“The politically charged nature of this case creates the impression of bias or impartiality that is imputed to the District Attorney’s entire office in light of the potential charges against District Attorney Brandenburg,” the motion read. “Recusal is appropriate, especially in light of the District Attorney’s personal conflict of interest with the Albuquerque Police Department.”

A spokeswoman for Brandenburg says her office is reviewing the motion.

Brandenburg announced this week she was seeking charges in the March shooting death of 38-year-old James Boyd.

Boyd, who authorities later said suffered from schizophrenia, was shot during a standoff in March in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Video of the shooting showed Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy opened fire.

Attorneys for the officers say their clients did nothing wrong.

Brandenburg’s move to seek charges marked a major shift from her previous decisions not go after Albuquerque officers linked to more than 40 police shootings since 2010. It also pointed to growing tensions between her office and the troubled Albuquerque Police Department, which suspects Brandenburg of reimbursing burglary victims to protect her son.

The district attorney said she had been working on the Boyd case before she heard of those allegations and her decision to seek charges was based on the facts.

She has denied any wrongdoing.



Reader Comments