Blue state’s Democrat AG should be investigated for ‘politically charged’ prosecution of cop: police group

The National Police Association asked the Department of Justice to unfastened a national civilian rights probe into New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez aft helium prosecuted a constabulary serviceman for fatally shooting a fishy who grabbed his partner's stun gun.

Las Cruces Police Officer Brad Lunsford was convicted of voluntary manslaughter aft helium changeable and killed Presley Eze aft the fishy allegedly placed his manus connected different constabulary officer's stun gun. Lunsford was responding to a state presumption aft an attendant called 911 to study that Eze allegedly stole brew successful August 2022.

Torrez, a Democrat, thought the shooting by Lunsford wasn't justified and decided to prosecute Lunsford for voluntary manslaughter. Lunsford was convicted by a assemblage successful February. 

"Today’s verdict reaffirms a cardinal principle: No 1 is supra the law, not adjacent those sworn to uphold it. Officer Lunsford’s actions were not conscionable a tragic lapse successful judgment; they were an egregious maltreatment of powerfulness that outgo Presley Eze his life," Torrez said aft the verdict was announced.

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Attorney General of New Mexico Raúl Torrez (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Accountable Tech)

Torrez besides said that Lunsford's enactment was "yet different illustration of mediocre constabulary tactics resulting successful an unjustifiable usage of unit to subdue an idiosyncratic resisting apprehension for the committee of a insignificant crime."

Body camera video shows Lunsford engaging Eze successful a conversation, but the fishy avoids giving his identity. Lunsford asks Eze respective times to measurement retired of the conveyance but is ne'er fixed an answer, according to KFOX14, which is erstwhile Lunsford's partner, serviceman Keegan Arbogast, steps in. 

Arbogast asks Eze, "Are you going to cooperate oregon what?" to which Eze responds, "Yes, I’m going to cooperate."

Cellphone video from the incident, according to the report, shows Eze disarming Arbogast by grabbing his taser. That's erstwhile Lunsford shoots Eze.

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Las Cruces Police Officer Brad Lunsford looks toward the assemblage during his proceedings successful the fatal shooting of Presley Eze successful Las Cruces, N.M., connected Feb. 4, 2025. (Justin Garcia/Pool Photo via AP)

Las Cruces Police Officer Brad Lunsford was convicted of voluntary manslaughter aft helium changeable and killed Presley Eze aft the fishy allegedly placed his manus connected different constabulary officer's stun gun. (Las Cruces Police)

After the blameworthy verdict, Lunsford's attorney, Matt Chandler, argued that the close to a just proceedings was violated erstwhile 2 jurors were improperly removed and replaced with alternates.

"Every national is entitled to a just and impartial jury," Chandler said. "In this case, we judge determination was a nonstop usurpation of that right. Two jurors, who had been vetted and selected by the defense, were abruptly removed and replaced by alternate jurors. That unsocial is capable to telephone this verdict into question and request a caller trial."

The justice who presided implicit Lunsford's lawsuit admitted to errors during a March proceeding and allowed the constabulary serviceman to beryllium released nether definite conditions. Lunsford has not been sentenced arsenic Chandler argues that a caller proceedings is needed.

On Thursday, the National Police Association requested that the Department of Justice unfastened a civilian rights probe into Torrez's prosecution of Lunsford, which the enactment argued was "politically charged."

In an interrogation with Fox News Digital, National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (ret.) said Lunsford's law rights person been "trampled upon."

"It's conscionable bonzer that a constabulary serviceman would beryllium charged with a felony for simply doing his job. But that's precisely what Attorney General Torrez has done successful this case," Smith said. 

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National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith says the prosecution was politically charged. (Fox News)

Smith argued that Torrez utilized this lawsuit to payment his governmental career.

"We perfectly judge that Attorney General Torrez is utilizing the Lunsford lawsuit for his ain governmental activism and for his summation arsenic an elected official. And what is not being considered is Officer Lunsford's grounds and the information that helium perfectly followed departmental policy, and helium followed his grooming successful this case," Smith said.

Smith said the National Police Association is taking enactment against Torrez not lone due to the fact that of what's happening to Lunsford, but besides for the imaginable effect it could person connected constabulary officers crossed the country.

"This lawsuit volition perfectly person a nationalist impact, particularly for constabulary officers who person these far-left attorneys wide and far-left authorities prosecutors who are much funny successful putting constabulary officers successful situation than they are arresting and convicting existent criminals," she said.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Torrez' office, the New Mexico Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice for comment.