THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THE CONTROVERSIAL SHOOTING DEATH OF JAMES BOYD IN ALBUQUERQUE LAST MARCH WILL BE PLAYED OUT IN A COURTROOM. BERNALILLO COUNTY D-A KARI BRANDENBURG ANNOUNCED MONDAY DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE THAT SHE WILL PURSUE MURDER CHARGES AGAINST APD OFFICERS KEITH SANDY AND DOMINIQUE PEREZ FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE SHOOTING OF BOYD AFTER A LONG STANDOFF IN THE SANDIA FOOTHILLS NEAR COPPER AND TRAMWAY.
THE FILING WILL RESULT IN A PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR BOTH SANDY AND PEREZ. BRANDENBURG SAYS SHE CHOSE THE PRELIMINARY HEARING SO IT WOULD BE MAKE THE CASE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. A DATE FOR THE HEARING HAS NOT YET BEEN SET BY THE COURT.
BRANDENBURG SAYS THIS CASE IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS HER OFFICE HAS REVIEWED. SHE SAYS EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE HELPED HER OFFICE TO ESTABLISH PROBABLE CAUSE THAT DID NOT EXIST IN OTHER CASES. BRANDENBURG WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THAT EVIDENCE.
BRANDENBURG HOPES TO HAVE A PRELIMINARY HEARING IN THE BOYD CASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT SHE SAYS IT COULD BE SEVERAL WEEKS, IF NOT LONGER, BEFORE A JUDGE CAN HEAR IT.
OFFICER SANDY'S ATTORNEY, SAM BREGMAN, SAYS THE CHARGES ARE NOT JUSTIFIED. HE SAYS SANDY WAS FOLLOWING HIS TRAINING AND LIKELY SAVED THE LIFE OF A FELLOW POLICE OFFICER.
OFFICER PEREZ'S LAWYER, LUIS ROBLES, ALSO UNDERSCORES JUDGEMENT CALLS OFFICERS HAVE TO MAKE AT CRITICAL MOMENTS.
