NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico’s top prosecutor said crime victims are facing too much trauma leading up to trials. Now, Attorney General Raúl Torrez said it’s time for lawmakers to make changes to help protect victims from being victimized. “Our system permits pretrial interrogation and re-interrogation of these victims to the point where they no longer […]
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico’s top prosecutor said crime victims are facing too much trauma leading up to trials. Now, Attorney General Raúl Torrez said it’s time for lawmakers to make changes to help protect victims from being victimized.
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“Our system permits pretrial interrogation and re-interrogation of these victims to the point where they no longer want to participate in the process,” said AG Torrez. That process is what New Mexico’s Attorney General describes as painful and traumatizing for crime victims.
Teaming up with state representatives, AG Torrez is now backing new efforts to give victims more protection during court processes. “No victims should be forced to unnecessarily relive that trauma over and over again yet all too often this is exactly what happens in our current system in New Mexico,” said Rep. Tara Jaramillo (D-Socorro.)
One proposed bill would give adult victims the right to refuse a pretrial interview. It would also prohibit interviews with children who are victims or witnesses to a crime. During trials, AG Torrez said interviews should be strictly monitored in front of a judge and jury. “Because the last thing you wanna do is traumatize and revictimize that victim in front of a jury which tends to keep the behavior in check,” said AG Torrez.
Another proposal aims to make punishments for violating victims’ rights. The AG mentioned a Las Cruces case where a judge dismissed years of probation off the sentence against a teacher who’d admitted to molesting a teenager. Victims weren’t notified about that hearing. “I can assure you if your child, your young daughter was to experience young sexual offense you would not also have to experience her re-suffering again and again through the court system,” said Tony Ronga, father of abuse survivor.
Those bills are expected to be introduced with the next 60 day session legislative session starting on January 21.