DA should tell more credible version of stop

During her primary campaign, District Attorney Francesca Martinez-Estevez said her priorities if she were re-elected would be to continue “the aggressive prosecution of the most violent and dangerous offenders, community safety, victim rights and enhancing community partnerships with law enforcement.”

A June 11 traffic stop makes it clear that Martinez-Estevez has cemented her “partnership” with law enforcement. Making “community safety” a priority, well that’s a whole other matter.

Consider that:

• A driver called 911 to report an erratic driver speeding and running into the shoulder and oncoming traffic on U.S. 180 west of Silver City, saying, “I would like to report a drunk driver. This guy is going to kill somebody. … (The car) is swerving like crazy,” according to a Grant County 911 call posted to KRQE.

Silver City officers responded when that erratic driver finally had a flat. One described Martinez-Estevez as “loaded,” and the Silver City police reports posted by KRQE refer to her “slurred speech” and trouble handling her cellphone.

Police lapel video provided by KOAT shows her losing her balance walking heel to toe in a straight line as she gives herself a practice sobriety test.

Yet after a two-hour traffic stop with city police and state police, the district attorney was not questioned or given a field sobriety test. In fact, she was allowed to drive away.

Silver City Police Chief Ed Reynolds says, “We’re not going to be filing any charges.” And Martinez-Estevez’s attorney, Jim Foy, says, “There will be no charges filed because there are no charges to file. I am just amazed at this thing, how it has been blown out of proportion.”

Then why isn’t Martinez-Estevez setting the record straight? Why won’t Reynolds answer questions “as to the conduct of the officers involved?”

Martinez-Estevez could easily have resolved the issue on June 11 by simply offering to take a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer. Hmmm.

And why is State Police Sgt. Elizabeth Armijo saying, “Why in the world did (Silver City police) not do an investigation? There is absolutely no reason why they could not have or should not have. On our side, the same thing applies. Our officer clearly did not do as much as she should have. She did not conduct a thorough investigation. It’s kind of a black eye for us. It should have happened differently.”

Voters have, in effect, elected Martinez-Estevez to a second term as top prosecutor for Grant, Luna and Hidalgo counties — she won the Democratic primary and has no Republican challenger in November.

Martinez-Estevez and Reynolds are equally insulting when it comes to dealing with voters. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, they say. All is under control and we will take care of it.

In a state where 67 people have been killed by drunken drivers this year, Martinez-Estevez needs to show those voters she truly believes in “the aggressive prosecution of the most violent and dangerous offenders, community safety (and) victim rights” by stepping up with a credible version of events, or stepping down as district attorney.

— Albuquerque Journal