1w ago

Ex-officer convicted in fatal shooting of Black man at New Mexico gas station

www.theguardian.com Ex-officer convicted in fatal shooting of Black man at New Mexico gas station

Prosecutors said Brad Lunsford, found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, shot Presley Eze at point-blank range in 2022

Summary

Former Las Cruces police officer Brad Lunsford was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the 2022 fatal shooting of Presley Eze, a Black man, at a New Mexico gas station.

Prosecutors argued Lunsford used excessive force, shooting Eze in the back of the head during a scuffle over an alleged beer theft.

The case shows ongoing concerns over police brutality, with Attorney General Raúl Torrez calling it an “egregious abuse of power.”

Lunsford faces up to nine years in prison.

5 comments

How is "Voluntary Manslaughter" not murder?
- A quick google search suggests its the New Mexico legal definition of that matched these circumstances.
  source
  Looks like New Mexico has this for Voluntary Manslaughter:
  "Intent to kill - Voluntary manslaughter requires the same intent as murder. The charge of murder is reduced to manslaughter when the defendant's culpability for the crime is "negated" or mitigated by adequate provocation.[2]" source
  
  Huh. TIL. I always thought the difference between murder and manslaughter was premeditation.

Pardon incoming. State crime? Governor has to pardon? She has to pardon or else?
Pardon incoming.