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New Mexico Supreme Court sided with Attorney General Raúl Torrez by stopping the district court’s decision to require a juror to testify in former Las Cruces Police Officer Brad Lunsford’s case.
Lunsford was charged with voluntary manslaughter after the shooting death of Presley Eze in 2023. A jury found him guilty in February.
Lunsford’s defense requested a new trial, arguing that the former officer did not receive a fair trial earlier this year due to the judge improperly replacing jurors. Lunsford’s lawyer also alleged juror bias.
The defense requested that a juror accused of bias be required by the court to testify.
The New Mexico Department of Justice then filed with the New Mexico Supreme Court requesting that it stay the lower court’s decision to have the juror testify. On Monday, the state Supreme Court announced its decision and quashed the order, meaning that the juror no longer has to testify.
In a statement, Torrez praised the ruling and said that, “Jurors must be able to deliberate freely, without fear of being called to testify or having their identities exposed after a verdict is rendered.”
Torrez also highlighted the importance of protecting the “finality and integrity” of a juror’s decision and saying that it is, “essential to maintaining public trust in our criminal justice system.”
No court date has been set yet for a new trial.
