Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 54
A Portales woman arrested and jailed for an overdue library book filed suit against the city Thursday in 9th Judicial District Court. The lawsuit filed by Lori Martinez, also known as Lori Teel, asks for unspecified monetary damages and a court injunction to stop the city and Portales Municipal Court from issuing criminal warrants to collect library fines. Martinez's attorney Eric Dixon said that immediately after news accounts of his client's arrest made international headlines, the city dismissed charges against her and... Full story
A Portales woman arrested and jailed for an overdue library book filed suit against the city Thursday in 9th Judicial District Court. The lawsuit filed by Lori Martinez, also known as Lori Teel, asks for unspecified monetary damages and a court injunction to stop the city and Portales Municipal Court from issuing criminal warrants to collect library fines. Martinez's attorney Eric Dixon said that immediately after news accounts of his client's arrest made international headlines, the city dismissed charges against her and...
A Curry County jail inmate was discovered bloody and beaten shortly after noon on March 29. That's when another inmate "buzzed in to control and stated 'you better get me out of this pod before I kill someone.'" The report detailing the incident was released by county officials on Wednesday in response to a Clovis News Journal public records request. According to the reports: - Inmates Terry Damron and Joseph Steward were in the same cell. - Damron told jail staff Steward snapped and "he (Steward) untwisted (a) broom handle...
A proposed $1.9 billion Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) by Curry County for the Tres Amigas project doesn't pose any financial or legal liability for the county, a trio of financial experts said Monday. County commissioners are meeting in special session at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Clovis-Carver Public Library annex to consider adopting a resolution stating the county intends to approve the bond. Called an inducement resolution, it will enable Tres Amigas to begin ordering equipment to build its plant without having to pay... Full story
The June 27 assault of Jaime Perez may not have been the first time this year an inmate has used a broom handle to beat another inmate at the Curry County jail. Clovis attorney Marna Trammell said Monday that her client Terry Damron was attacked and beaten in the jail March 26 by another inmate. Trammell said the inmate "with a broom handle ... struck Inmate Damron about the head and body" causing "serious physical injury and emotional damage as a result of said beating." Trammell filed notice of a pending lawsuit on the coun...
Curry County voters won't see a $9 million jail bond issue on the ballot for the second time this year. County Commission Chairman Wendell Bostwick's push to place the once-defeated issue on the November ballot was tabled Tuesday after it became clear he couldn't muster majority support during a long and lively 4 1/2-hour commission session. Also during Tuesday's meeting, Bostwick's request to boost the salary of elected officials by almost 14 percent got trimmed backed to a 3 percent raise, jail Administrator Gerry Billy... Full story
Telephone conversations recorded at the Curry County jail show Louis Guerra telling his mother he beat up Jaime Perez last month after jail staff placed the two in the same pod of cells. The conversations — two calls Guerra placed the morning after the fight — are part of a new seven-page report released by county officials Wednesday in response to a CNJ request under the state's Inspection of Public Records Act. In the first call at 11:05 a.m., Guerra tells his mother he got...
A Clovis man pleaded guilty to murder and other felony charges Friday, three days before he was set to face a jury trial for gunning down Daniel Perez last year in a drive-by shooting. Louis Guerra District Attorney Matt Chandler said he accepted a request from Louis Guerra — charged with first-degree murder — to plead to second-degree murder, shooting from a moving vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of tampering with evidence. Chandler said Guerra fac... Full story
The lawyer representing accused child killer Noe Torres is asking District Judge Donna Mowrer to set aside Torres' grand jury murder indictment. In a motion filed Wednesday, Attorney Kirk Chavez alleges grand jury selection in Curry County is tainted because the District Court has allowed members of District Attorney Matt Chandler's staff to select and excuse grand jury members at will. Chavez made the same charges in another murder case last year and they were rejected by Ninth Judicial District Chief Judge Teddy Hartley.... Full story
The lawyer representing accused child killer Noe Torres is asking District Judge Donna Mowrer to set aside Torres' grand jury murder indictment. In a motion filed Wednesday, Attorney Kirk Chavez alleges grand jury selection in Curry County is tainted because the District Court has allowed members of District Attorney Matt Chandler's staff to select and excuse grand jury members at will. Chavez made the same charges in another murder case last year and they were rejected by Ninth Judicial District Chief Judge Teddy Hartley....
An emotional plea from accused child killer and longtime fugitive Noe Torres to remain jailed in Clovis and be close to his family was rejected Wednesday by District Judge Donna Mowrer. CNJ staff photo: Tony Bullocks District attorney Matt Chandler explains Wednesday to Judge Donna Mowrer why Noe Torres should not be released on bond at Torres' arraignment. Appearing via video at his arraignment on murder charges, Torres, his voice choking, asked Mowrer to reconsider an order...
An emotional plea from accused child killer and longtime fugitive Noe Torres to remain jailed in Clovis and be close to his family was rejected Wednesday by District Judge Donna Mowrer. CNJ staff photo: Tony Bullocks District attorney Matt Chandler explains Wednesday to Judge Donna Mowrer why Noe Torres should not be released on bond at Torres' arraignment. Appearing via video at his arraignment on murder charges, Torres, his voice choking, asked Mowrer to reconsider an order... Full story
Not front page coverage of a jail fight. Not a star witness possibly changing his testimony. Not even the question of evidence from the victim's pocket will stop Louis Guerra's murder trial from taking place next week in Clovis. CNJ staff photo: Tony Bullocks Louis Guerra, left, is led away after his court appearance Wednesday in front of Judge Donna Mowrer while his attorney, James Klipstine, of Hobbs watches. Guerra was denied a change of venue and continuance for his...
Curry County Undersheriff Wesley Waller said Thursday that the criminal investigation into last week's assault at the jail ended with felony charges filed against inmate Louis Guerra. Waller said any other issues at the jail are considered administrative and will be up to county officials to resolve. County officials have declined to answer multiple questions about the assault, including: - How did a murder suspect — Guerra — end up in the same jail pod as the victim's brother, who witnessed the slaying; - Why did Guerra hav...
Louis Guerra told investigators he believes authorities set him up to attack Jaime Perez by placing the two in adjacent cells last week at the Curry County jail. Louis Guerra The allegations are contained in documents filed Monday in magistrate court, charging Guerra, 31, with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and felony retaliation against a witness. The charges stem from a June 27 attack at the jail. Guerra was in the jail awaiting trial for the killing of...
A witness in a homicide case was assaulted and injured Wednesday by the suspect in the same case after the two were mistakenly placed in the same pod of cells at the Curry County Adult Detention Center, Administrator Gerry Billy confirmed Thursday. Officials said Jaime Perez was taken to Plains Regional Medical Center for treatment and later returned to the jail after an altercation with Louis Guerra. Guerra is accused in the 2011 shooting death of Daniel Perez in Clovis. Undersheriff Wesley Waller wrote in an email that Jaim... Full story
Lori Teel says she doesn't use the Portales Public Library, never has, and probably never will after what happened to her the night of June 12. Teel, pregnant and the mother of five small children, was arrested, handcuffed and hauled away to jail in front of her kids for failing to pay library fines of $35.98. "My children are still traumatized by it," Teel said. Teel and her attorney Eric Dixon filed notice Tuesday that she intends to sue the city of Portales and Roosevelt County for false arrest and because of the way she...
Lori Teel says she doesn't use the Portales Public Library, never has, and probably never will after what happened to her the night of June 12. Teel, pregnant and the mother of four small children, was arrested, handcuffed and hauled away to jail in front of her kids for failing to pay library fines of $35.98. "My children are still traumatized by it," Teel said. Teel and her attorney Eric Dixon filed notice Tuesday that she intends to sue the city of Portales and Roosevelt County for false arrest and because of the way she...
Curry County Commission Chairman Wendell Bostwick's push to place an already voter-rejected $9.3 million jail bond issue on the Nov. 6 general election ballot is receiving mixed reviews from other commissioners. Voters defeated the same bond issue in an April special election. While Commissioner Frank Blackburn thinks asking voters again in November is "a good idea," Commissioner Robert Sandoval isn't convinced. "I know we need it. We need it tomorrow," Sandoval said Wednesday. "I'm really not sure that this November is the...
A follow-up inspection of the Curry County jail kitchen has uncovered fewer major health violations, but state officials remain determined the county must fix problems with the floor. The inspection by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) on Wednesday found two high-risk health violations — one that was corrected — and one low risk violation. An inspection in May found seven high-risk health violations, four moderate-risk violations and two low-risk violations. Enough violations, jail Administrator Gerry Billy said ea... Full story
Bronc and bull riders at recent state high school rodeo finals in Clovis got bucked out of the Curry County Events Center and landed in court in a dispute over beer and marijuana. On June 15, District Judge Stephen Quinn granted a permanent injunction sought by Alamogordo High School rodeo star Lon Danley, 18, clearing his way to compete in state finals and move on to national championships in bull and saddle bronc riding. Danley was barred from competing in state finals early into the competition in Clovis June 14-16 after...
A Tucumcari city commissioner's concerns about a proposed drought management plan for the Ute Lake Reservoir were cut short Thursday by former Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield. Brumfield, who chairs the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, told Tucumcari Commissioner Robert Lumpkin his concerns about water levels at reservoir should be saved for a July steering committee hearing on the plan. The steering committee meets July 19 at Portales City Hall to hammer out details of the plan. Lumpkin has long advocated...
A Tucumcari city commissioner's concerns about a proposed drought management plan for the Ute Lake Reservoir were cut short Thursday by former Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield. Brumfield, who chairs the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, told Tucumcari Commissioner Robert Lumpkin his concerns about water levels at reservoir should be saved for a July steering committee hearing on the plan. The steering committee meets July 19 at Portales City Hall to hammer out details of the plan. Lumpkin has long advocated... Full story
Republican leaders split by the bitterness of the Pat Woods-Angie Spears campaigns for state Senate may be divided on how to repair the damage. But they agreed Wednesday they must work to fix the chasm created in Woods' slim 2,283 to 1,991 vote victory in Tuesday's primary for District 7. Much of the bitterness stems from Gov. Susana Martinez's decision to endorse a candidate — Spears — in a primary election, a move many region Republicans saw as outside interference. Chief among them, state Sen. Clint Harden of Clovis, whose...
A low-key Pat Woods declared victory over challenger Angie Spears late Tuesday in one of the most bitter and closely watched races in New Mexico. CNJ staff photo: Tony Bullocks District 5 county commission candidate Danny L. Powell, left, congratulates Pat Woods on his District 7 state senate win Tuesday night at a victory party at a private residence in Clovis. The final vote was 2,283 to 1,991. Woods, speaking at a victory party on Clovis' northeast side said it was time...
