Law Professor Blogs Network (LexBlog Mexico)
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"Rust" movie armorer convicted of manslaughter in New Mexico gets maximum prison term of 18 months in state prison
I asked in this post last month what folks thought would be the proper state sentence for the “Rust” movie armorer who was convicted of manslaughter in New Mexico. This CBS News piece reports at length on the outcome of the actual sentencing (and the broader context of this high-profile case). Here are excerpts: The...
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New Mexico seemingly poised to be latest state to elimination juvenile LWOP (after new press report about lost juve LWOPers)
This local press piece, headlined “Proposal to end juvenile life sentences in New Mexico on its way to governor,” reports on notable new legislative developments in Land of Enchantment. Here are some details: In the early-morning hours Monday, the state House signed off on legislation that would abolish the possibility of a life sentence without...
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Citing prior "attempt to flee the country," feds urging that Elizabeth Holmes start her prison sentence in April
If producers are thinking about developing Season 2 of The Dropout, a legal filing today by federal prosecutors provide some dramatic materials. This CNN article, headlined “Elizabeth Holmes made an ‘attempt to flee the country’ after her conviction, prosecutors say,” provides these details: Elizabeth Holmes made an “attempt to flee the country” by booking a...
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El Chapo's wife sentenced to three years in federal prison (guidelines be damned)
This Vice article provides a thorough accounting of a notable federal sentencing with this rousing start: “Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera became infamous for daring jailbreaks in Mexico only to end up serving life in prison in the United States. Now his wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, has managed to avoid a similar...
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With New Mexico now officially the latest legalizer of marijuana, which state might be next?
As reported in this new Hill piece, “New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) on Monday signed legislation to legalize the use and sale of recreational marijuana in the state, as well as to expunge the records of people with prior, low-level cannabis convictions.” Here is more: “The legalization of…
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New Mexico on the verge of marijuana legalization only hours after New York legalized
Though we sometimes have to wait until 4/20 for a lot of marijuana discussions, this week is proving historic as the New Mexico legislature last night passed two big marijuana reform bills just hours after New York’s Governor officially signed that state’s historic marijuana legalization bill (NY basics here). This…
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Mexico now well on the path to becoming the world's largest legal marijuana market
This New York Times article, headlined “Mexico Set to Legalize Marijuana, Becoming World’s Largest Market,” reports on the latest reform developments from south of the border. Here is how the piece gets started: Lawmakers in Mexico approved a bill Wednesday night to legalize recreational marijuana, a milestone for the country,…
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Might Prez Trump announce his next round of clemency grants this weekend?
The question in this post is prompted by this Politico article headlined “Trump weighing a pardon for Steve Bannon.” The start of the article suggests that some actually were expected some action on the clemency front last night: President Donald Trump is considering granting a pardon to Steve Bannon, his former White House chief strategist...
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All the Jeffrey Epstein news that’s fit to print
My various criminal justice news feeds are chock full of stories about the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein and its echoes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the New York Times is giving plenty of ink to this story, and here are just some of the notable pieces from the last few days that should interest criminal justice justice fans:...
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Based on statutory proportionality review, split New Mexico Supreme Court dismiss death sentences for two murderers left on state’s death row a decade after legislative abolition
As well reported in this Courthouse News Service piece, headlined “New Mexico Supreme Court Vacates Two Remaining Death Sentences,” the final anti-death penalty shoe finally dropped in New Mexico a full decade after the state’s legislature repealed its death penalty. Here ere are the basics: A divided New Mexico Supreme Court Friday set aside the...
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After veto-proof vote, New Hampshire appears poised to be first state to repeal death penalty legislatively since 2013
For a number of years not too long ago, a number of state legislatures got in the habit of repealing the (usually dormant) death penalty in their states. Specifically, legislatures in five states over a span of six years led death penalty repeal efforts that become the law in New Jersey (2007), New Mexico (2009),...
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Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán found guilty on all 10 federal counts now facing LWOP sentence … but surely could still provide substantial assistance
As reported in this NPR piece, headlined “‘El Chapo,’ Notorious Drug Kingpin, Found Guilty After Dramatic Trial In New York,” the federal government secured high-profile drug convictions today in New York. Here are some details: After a long trial held under heightened security at the Brooklyn, N.Y., federal court, a jury has found Joaquín “El...