Albuquerque Police Murder Charge - Two Albuquerque police officers have been charged with the murder of a homeless and mentally unstable man.
The Albuquerque police murder charge were filed against Officers Dominique Perez and former Det. Keith Sandy on Monday in connection with the shooting to death of James Boyd.
38-year-old James Boyd's last moments was captured by an officers helmet camera. Boyd, who investigators say was mentally ill, is shown holding two knives during a four-hour standoff with police on the foothills of Sandia Mountains in March last year.
Boyd suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and his erratic behavior along with his brandishing of two knives prompted a resident to call the cops.
The killing of Boyd, who appeared to be surrendering when he was shot, sparked wide protests and led to federal authorities to investigate the city police force.
"Unlike Ferguson and unlike New York City, we're going to know. The public is going to have that information," said Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg who filled the charges on Monday.
Reports indicate that both officers Perez and Sandy face individual count in the Boyd's death. These charges give prosecutors the leverage to either go after first-degree or second degree murder charges against the officers.
The Albuquerque police murder charge has been dismissed by attorneys for both Perez and Sandy who say their clients were only following training procedures. Adding that there is no proof of criminal intent in the shooting.
Sam Bregman, Sandy's lawyer said the officer retired eight months after the fatal incident "had not only the right but the duty to defend a fellow officer from a mentally unstable, violent man wielding two knives."
Luis Robles, Perez's lawyer said he was very "confident that the facts will vindicate Officer Perez's actions in this case."
The FBI is also conducting it's own investigation on the Albuquerque Police Department and authorities have not disclosed if federal charges would be pressed against both officers.
Albuquerque Police have been involved in 40 shootings, with 27 of them resulting in deaths. The department had been under the investigation of the Justice Department whose report led to the signing of an agreement allowing for police to receive better training and for troubled units to be leveled.
