FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE DIANNA DURAN BEGINS HER 30 DAY JAIL SENTENCE ON FRIDAY. THAT AFTER THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN HER GUILTY PLEA. DURAN HAD UNTIL NOON WEDNESDAY TO CHANGE HER PLEA. SHE HAD HOPED TO AVOID JAIL TIME UNDER HER PLEA DEAL, BUT JUDGE T. GLENN ELLINGTON IMPOSED THE SENTENCE THIS PAST MONDAY.
DURAN WAS SENTENCED TO DO THE JAIL TIME AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MIS-USING CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO PAY OFF GAMBLING DEBTS. SHE’LL SERVE THAT TIME AT THE SANTA FE COUNTY JAIL.
DURAN’S LAWYER SAYS DURAN “SWIFTLY ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY” AND “WILL ACCEPT THE SENTENCE OF THE COURT.” DURAN ALSO WROTE HER FIRST APOLOGY LETTER ON WEDNESDAY THAT’S BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE LAS CRUCES BULLETIN. SHE HAS TO WRITE THOSE LETTERS TO THE PUBLIC AND TO DONORS.
