SANTA FE. N.M. (AP) A judge has decided that a young man won't face first-degree murder charges in the shooting deaths of two men at a Santa Fe-area party last Christmas night. Under state District Court Judge Mary Marlowe's ruling, 18-year–old Joe C. Rivera instead faces second-degree murder charges for the killings of 33-year-old John Griego and 29-year-old Nicholas Baker.
That means if convicted, Rivera could face a maximum of 30 years in prison for the killings, not life terms. Marlowe ruled that Rivera can't be charged with first-degree murder because there wasn't evidence that the killings resulted from careful thought.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that testimony indicates the shooting was preceded by a conflict over the purchase of rum and possible gang affiliations.
