I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
While Gov. Bill Richardson signed into law a bill abolishing the death penalty this March, there are still men who are facing the death penalty; those already on death row and those whose crimes were committed before July of this year can still face the death penalty. Dave Maass at the Santa Fe Reporter looked at the uncertain fate of those on death row and Michael Ray Astorga, a man accused of killing a police officer.
While these men still face the death penalty, the governor has the right to commute their sentences, as former Gov. Toney Anaya did for all five men on death row at the time before leaving office in 1986. Gov. Bill Richardson has said that he will not commute the sentences, but with a new governor taking up residence in the Governor’s Mansion following the 2010 elections, the commutation angle may just enter the gubernatorial race.
Maass makes that case by contacting Denish’s campaign and speaking to GOP gubernatorial candidate Janice Arnold Jones. Here are their responses to Maass’ question about commutation:
“When I serve as New Mexico’s governor, I will carefully review any request for pardon or commutation of sentence on a case-by-case basis that is brought to my office,” Denish says via email through a spokeswoman.
But anti-death-penalty advocates may find an ally on the Republican primary ballot, as well.
Gubernatorial candidate Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, R-Bernalillo, tells SFR she would consider commuting the sentences of the two men on death row and any others who may join them.
An interesting result of the years-long death penalty battle which eventually ended in the abolition of capital punishment in New Mexico.
