U.S.
Albuquerque Police Department / AP
A New Mexico judge on Tuesday ruled that two Albuquerque police officers must stand trial on murder charges in the on-duty shooting death of a homeless man —which sparked angry protests in the city and helped lead to reforms.
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, Judge Neil Candelaria said there was probable cause for a murder case to proceed against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who, authorities say, had schizophrenia. He was shot March 16, 2014, during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting shows Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy open fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Boyd’s death prompted protests against the Albuquerque Police Department, which a federal probe determined had a history of using excessive force against civilians. The city’s justice system is undergoing an overhaul and is subject to federal monitoring.
Violence against homeless Americans has been on the rise, reports have shown.
The criminalization of behaviors that are virtually impossible for homeless people to avoid — such as sleeping and eating in public or loitering — causes them to be “regularly cycled through prisons and jails, which exacerbates discrimination, exclusion and violation,” according to a 2014 National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty report on crime.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, Judge Neil Candelaria said there was probable cause for a murder case to proceed against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who, authorities say, had schizophrenia. He was shot March 16, 2014, during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting shows Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy open fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Boyd’s death prompted protests against the Albuquerque Police Department, which a federal probe determined had a history of using excessive force against civilians. The city’s justice system is undergoing an overhaul and is subject to federal monitoring.
Violence against homeless Americans has been on the rise, reports have shown.
The criminalization of behaviors that are virtually impossible for homeless people to avoid — such as sleeping and eating in public or loitering — causes them to be “regularly cycled through prisons and jails, which exacerbates discrimination, exclusion and violation,” according to a 2014 National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty report on crime.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, Judge Neil Candelaria said there was probable cause for a murder case to proceed against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who, authorities say, had schizophrenia. He was shot March 16, 2014, during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting shows Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy open fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Boyd’s death prompted protests against the Albuquerque Police Department, which a federal probe determined had a history of using excessive force against civilians. The city’s justice system is undergoing an overhaul and is subject to federal monitoring.
Violence against homeless Americans has been on the rise, reports have shown.
The criminalization of behaviors that are virtually impossible for homeless people to avoid — such as sleeping and eating in public or loitering — causes them to be “regularly cycled through prisons and jails, which exacerbates discrimination, exclusion and violation,” according to a 2014 National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty report on crime.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, Judge Neil Candelaria said there was probable cause for a murder case to proceed against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who, authorities say, had schizophrenia. He was shot March 16, 2014, during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting shows Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy open fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Boyd’s death prompted protests against the Albuquerque Police Department, which a federal probe determined had a history of using excessive force against civilians. The city’s justice system is undergoing an overhaul and is subject to federal monitoring.
Violence against homeless Americans has been on the rise, reports have shown.
The criminalization of behaviors that are virtually impossible for homeless people to avoid — such as sleeping and eating in public or loitering — causes them to be “regularly cycled through prisons and jails, which exacerbates discrimination, exclusion and violation,” according to a 2014 National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty report on crime.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, Judge Neil Candelaria said there was probable cause for a murder case to proceed against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who, authorities say, had schizophrenia. He was shot March 16, 2014, during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting shows Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy open fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Boyd’s death prompted protests against the Albuquerque Police Department, which a federal probe determined had a history of using excessive force against civilians. The city’s justice system is undergoing an overhaul and is subject to federal monitoring.
Violence against homeless Americans has been on the rise, reports have shown.
The criminalization of behaviors that are virtually impossible for homeless people to avoid — such as sleeping and eating in public or loitering — causes them to be “regularly cycled through prisons and jails, which exacerbates discrimination, exclusion and violation,” according to a 2014 National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty report on crime.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
Seven states already attach stiffer punishments, as ‘steady stream of attacks’ targets vulnerable US population
Experts cite mental illness and criminalization of homelessness as factors contributing to greater danger
Homeless bipolar man hospitalized last year after being hit with Taser four times, struck on head and hog-tied by police
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