District Attorney has worst murder conviction rate in state; now Martinez thinks she deserves a promotion?
Albuquerque, NM – After Susana Martinez won the Republican nomination by distorting her record and making empty promises, the Denish campaign today released an ad to introduce New Mexicans to the real Susana Martinez – and her failed record as District Attorney.
The ad directly quotes Susana Martinez talking about the importance of looking at candidates’ records, and then challenges Martinez to explain her broken pledge on felony DWI plea bargains and her horrible murder conviction rate – which is the lowest in the state. [New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 1999-2009]
“Susana Martinez won the Republican nomination with sound bites and empty promises, but in reality, she’s been a failed District Attorney who doesn’t deserve a promotion,” said Chris Cervini, Denish’s campaign spokesman. “New Mexicans want a Governor who they can trust to get the job done, not a failed District Attorney who broke her pledge to be tough on DWI offenders and has the worst felony murder conviction rate in the state. New Mexicans deserve more.”
The new ad entitled “Record,” is running statewide on network/cable television and it can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/
Background facts to support assertions made in the ad:
1. Martinez Broke Her Promise Not To Cut Plea Bargain Deals On DWIs:
2004: Martinez said, “We Will Not Plea Bargain A DWI Case,” Particularly For Repeat Offenders. According to the Las Cruces Sun-News, “The dubious record for most previous DWI convictions in Dona Ana County is 22…It happens almost everywhere in New Mexico and the reasons vary, but in Dona Ana County, steps are being taken to put an end to it. ‘We will not plea bargain a DWI case,’ Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez said. ‘We don’t pretend it is a first or second offense just to move the court docket along.’” [Las Cruces Sun-News, 9/5/04]
Fiscal Year | District 3 Felony DWI Plea Bargains |
FY 2009 | 120 |
FY 2008 | 111 |
FY 2007 | 181 |
FY 2006 | 150 |
FY 2005 | 170 |
FY 2004 | 104 |
Total | 836 |
[New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 2004-2009, accessed 5/11/10]
2. Susana Martinez Has The Worst Felony Homicide Conviction Rate In The State:
Judicial District | Felony Homicide: Average Conviction Rate from FY99-FY09 |
District 9 | 81.25% |
District 11 | 77.45098% |
District 6 | 75% |
District 5 | 74.7191% |
District 12 | 74.19355% |
District 1 | 70.90909% |
District 8 | 70.27027% |
State-Wide | 69.4704% |
District 7 | 68.18182% |
District 10 | 66.66667% |
District 4 | 65.78947% |
District 2 | 63.46154% |
District 13 | 60.60606% |
District 3: Susana Martinez | 60% |
[New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 1999-2009, accessed 5/11/10]
Notes:
1. To obtain the total number of convictions: pleas at trial, pleas before trial and convictions were added together. The total number of convictions was divided by the total number of cases and multiplied by one hundred.A complete spreadsheet of all of the DA homicide rates is available upon request.
2. The charts above cover FY 1999 – FY 2009, which are the only years that statistics are available in a consistent format at the Administrative Office of the Courts.
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