The Status Conference

Only two things in life are certain, death and taxes. Now it appears one of those may not be a given after all. Can a Jellyfish Unlock the Secret of Immortality? - NYTimes.com

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Four men sue New Jersey organization over 'gay conversion therapy' - U.S. News

The War on Drugs seems to be ending with a whimper, not a bang. But it is ending. Indiana police leader says he'd legalize marijuana - SFGate

"The guy in the other courtroom's lawyer was so bad, he got us both convicted!" Behavior of Drew Peterson Lawyers Targeted in Unsuccessful Motion for New Trial in Neighboring Case - ABA Journal

A: 34,000. Q: "How many cases from a crime lab in Massachusetts will have to be hand reviewed due to the criminal incompetence of the lab supervisor?" Mass. gov. orders chemist's cases reviewed - KansasCity.com

As long as you're going to jail, might as well have some company. DWI arrests involve same vehicle - The St. Tammany News: News

New York City went one whole day without a single murder. Props Big Apple! NYC crime news update: the impossible occurs - National Criminal Profiles | Examiner.com

Posted with Blogsy

"The future ain't what it used to be." - Yogi Berra

The criminal justice system in Las Cruces experienced the biggest shake-up in recent memory when a tidal wave of Democratic support swept out three judges appointed by Governor Susana Martinez. Judges Susan Riedel, Jacinto Palomino and Nelson Goodin - all former employees of the Governor -were replaced in their first election by Democrats Marci Beyer, Mary Rosner and Darren Kugler, respectively. 

The biggest shocker of Election Night was the upset of longtime prosecutor Amy Orlando by Mark D'Antonio, a newcomer to the political scene in Las Cruces, in a race that the Las Cruces Sun-News called "heated and sometimes nasty." And that's putting it mildly. Most local observers I talked to believed it to be one of the most vicious campaigns in local history. The dethroning of Orlando effectively ends one of the most successful regimes in Southern New Mexico history, where now-Governor Martinez and her right hand woman Orlando headed the District Attorney's Office for 16 years. 

With nearly 75 years of public service between them, Riedel, Goodin, Palomino and Orlando have served the community well. Their reputations and experience all but guarantee that each will quickly land on their feet. No doubt Susana will make sure that each of them has place to work in Santa Fe if nothing else.

For those of us at the courthouse daily, the changes ahead are exciting. The weeks and months ahead will be spent feeling out the new DA and judges as we gather information about their tendencies so we can best predict outcomes for our clients.

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus noted, "Nothing endures but change." Here's hoping that the changes ahead will bring about a more reasonable criminal justice system here in Dona Ana County.