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The New Mexico Supreme Court issued an emergency stay on Friday, April 11, which halted the trial of Deshawndre Washington, the former New Mexico State University basketball player who faces 15 felony charges and, potentially, 45 years in prison.
Washington was set to go to jury trial on Monday, April 14th in the Third Judicial District Court. He allegedly assaulted former team members in 2022 and 2023 along with two other players who have since accepted plea agreements.
Washington’s petition to stay the proceedings was connected to Third Judicial District Judge Conrad Perea disqualifying Washington’s primary lawyer, David Mestemaker, a Texas attorney who could no longer serve as Washington’s primary legal counsel should the New Mexico Supreme Court reinstate him in mid-April due to another court conflict, according to the petition.
This is the third time a jury trial has been set for Washington. Washington’s petition argues that because Washington was arraigned on a new indictment in February, his jury trial could take place as late as May 27, 2026.
Washington’s petition argues that the local counsel needs more time to prepare if he is to be the lead attorney on the case. Third Judicial District Court Judge Perea disqualified Mestemaker from the proceedings after comments he made while holding a press conference.
The petition says that Mestemaker’s dismissal was “arbitrary” and that he was responding to more than 30 news and television articles regarding the trial.
Perea must respond to the state Supreme Court’s stay and has until Tuesday, April 15 to do so.
