Summary
Former Las Cruces police officer Brad Lunsford was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the 2022 fatal shooting of Presley Eze, a Black man, at a New Mexico gas station.
Prosecutors argued Lunsford used excessive force, shooting Eze in the back of the head during a scuffle over an alleged beer theft.
The case shows ongoing concerns over police brutality, with Attorney General Raúl Torrez calling it an “egregious abuse of power.”
Lunsford faces up to nine years in prison.
Pardon incoming. State crime? Governor has to pardon? She has to pardon or else?
Pardon incoming.
How is “Voluntary Manslaughter” not murder?
A quick google search suggests its the New Mexico legal definition of that matched these circumstances.
Looks like New Mexico has this for Voluntary Manslaughter:
“Intent to kill - Voluntary manslaughter requires the same intent as murder. The charge of murder is reduced to manslaughter when the defendant’s culpability for the crime is “negated” or mitigated by adequate provocation.[2]” source
Huh. TIL. I always thought the difference between murder and manslaughter was premeditation.
Second degree murder usually doesn’t require premeditation. Not sure how it differs from “voluntary manslaughter” (which I agree sounds wrong).
