She assumed office in 2013. {85} Finally, Rule 11-801(D)(1)(c) (statements of identification) would not allow the statements to come in because Ortiz's interview did not identify either of the two shooters but instead described the shooting. The Detective responded that Silly tried to sell him a gun, a .25 caliber. Defense counsel moved on with other questions and then moved for a mistrial, or in the alternative, for a curative instruction, after the jury was dismissed for the day, arguing that the statement was overly prejudicial. However, under the statute, juvenile offenders convicted of first-degree murder may be sentenced to life imprisonment but shall not be punished by death. Id. {34} Defendant next argues that his convictions for all counts relating to shooting at a dwelling or occupied building must be reversed because there was no evidence that Defendant shot at a dwelling or occupied building. {5} Ortega testified that someone on the balcony asked the four men what they were doing in the Barelas neighborhood and that Mendez responded, We could be anywhere we want, Juaritos. Immediately thereafter shots were fired down at them from the balcony. The evidence at trial revealed that shots were fired from an apartment balcony downward into a courtyard area. GENE E. FRANCHINI, Justice (concurring in part, dissenting in part). I conclude that Rule 11-803(X) does not provide a basis for admitting the statement. It cannot be invoked when the record as a whole demonstrates that the defendant received a fair trial. Id. On June 30, 2012, 19-year-old Cindy "Tig" Rivera left the home she shared with her father on Peggy Lee Lane in Las Vegas, New Mexico. . Christine Trujillo ( Democratic Party) is a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing District 25. As to lack of candor, we find the fact that Ortiz was not a suspect in the shooting and therefore had no reason to shift blame away from himself, the fact that he implicated his own cousin, Allison, in his statement, and the fact that he likely placed himself and his family in grave danger by giving Detective Shawn a physical description of the shooters, make it less likely that Ortiz would have consciously lied to Detective Shawn about what he observed that night. Christopher Sam Trujillo. 27. Reputation Score: 0.83 - 1.98. This pay is 25 percent lower than average and 12 percent lower than median salary in Northern New Mexico . $3895 . She was born to Santiago Miranda and Magdalena Sanchez on February 25, 1928, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2023 a domestic/family case was filed by Trujillo . US States (36975K) . However, Ortiz apparently could not recall more specific details of the shooting, including who fired the gun. {58} Ortiz's former, or current, membership in the Barelas gang was important for two reasons. Because I find none of the other rules relied upon by the State and the trial court persuasive, I would remand for a new trial and not allow the substantive use of the evidence. 11 (quoting State v. Ross, 1996-NMSC-031, 122 N.M. 15, 22, 919 P.2d 1080, 1087) (internal quotation marks omitted). {36} It is the absence of evidence on this point that convinces us that Defendant did not willfully discharge the gun at a dwelling or occupied building or agree with another person to commit such a crime. When a defendant has been convicted of a capital felony, he shall be punished by life imprisonment or death. Section 31-18-14(A). Id. {2} Pursuant to Rule 12-102(A)(1) NMRA 2002, Defendant raises the following issues on appeal: (1) the admission of the tape and transcript of Joseph Ortiz's out-of-court statement violated Defendant's constitutional right to confrontation and due process because it was inadmissible impeachment and hearsay evidence; (2) his conviction for first-degree depraved-mind murder violated due process of law because sufficient evidence did not support the conviction on any theory; (3) Defendant was convicted of a crime that does not exist-conspiracy to commit depraved-mind murder; (4) there was no evidence that Defendant shot at a dwelling or occupied building; (5) Defendant's trial counsel's performance constituted ineffective assistance of counsel; (6) the prosecutor's acts of misconduct distorted the evidence on the issue of identification, depriving Defendant of due process and a fair trial; (7) the conspiracy charges and Defendant's convictions violate the Double Jeopardy Clause because there is no evidence of any agreement or agreements to support separate charges; (8) the above constitute cumulative error that denied Defendant due process and a fair trial; and (9) Defendant's sentence is disproportionate and in violation of the state and federal constitutional prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Rather, we must place it in the context of the entire record. Certainly counsel's failure to challenge this indictment prejudiced Defendant as to his conviction for this crime. None appears to support the use of Ortiz's interview with the police. Check other contact information for Cheryl Trujillo. Copyright 2023, Thomson Reuters. And then Silly over here took the gun? A. Defense counsel told the court that he was not aware that Ortega and Canas had been arrested on material witness warrants until some time after the two had been arrested, but that he and the prosecutor did conduct an interview with Ortega which eventually broke down due to animosity between the lawyers. Defendant invoked this Court's mandatory appellate jurisdiction based on his first-degree murder conviction and because he was sentenced to thirty years in prison. The State concedes that this conviction must be vacated because this Court has explicitly held that this is not a cognizable crime in New Mexico. Also the statements of Canas was that a skinny, thin Hispanic guy with acne was up on the balcony and a big-boned, heavyset guy with a ponytail significantly bigger than the thin Hispanic guy was up on the balcony and those are the two guys who committed the killing. {21} Under these circumstances, we find that the taped statement and transcript were reliable and important for the jury to consider, as it went to the identity of the shooters. She was driving a purple 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier with New Mexico plate number JFZ-534. (1)Ambiguity-the danger that the meaning intended by the declarant will be misinterpreted by the witness and hence the jury; (2) Lack of candor-the danger the declarant will consciously lie; (3) Faulty memory-the danger that the declarant simply forgets key material; and (4) Misperception-the danger that the declarant misjudged, misinterpreted, or misunderstood what he saw. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Chris Trujillo (104119474)? {84} We have already noted in the related case State v. Allison, 2000-NMSC-027, 30, 129 N.M. 566, 11 P.3d 141, that Rule 11-803(E) is not a proper ground for the admission of this statement. Any danger inherent in a true identification of a gang member, however, would also seem to argue against the candor of such a statement, especially to the police. Stevens said any time SNAP benefits increased since the pandemic began in 2020, the number of requests for care packages went down. Because Rule 11-803(X) requires an affirmative showing of such guarantees, I do not believe that it provides a basis for admitting this statement. It did not, however, satisfy the requirements of any of those exceptions. Entering his junior year, the Auburn commit has a career on-base percentage of .512 in more than 50 games at the varsity level. We agree with Defendant that it [was] improper for the prosecution to refer the jury to matters outside the record. Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, 104, 128 N.M. 482, 994 P.2d 728. He took pride in everything he did and everything he did was for his sons. In order to find the Defendant guilty, the State had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendant willfully shot a firearm at a dwelling or an occupied building. An isolated, minor impropriety ordinarily is not sufficient to warrant reversal, because a fair trial is not necessarily a perfect one. Allen, 2000-NMSC-002, 95, 128 N.M. 482, 994 P.2d 728 (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Carlos Trujillo enjoyed football and wrestling as a kid growing up in Albuquerque but he needed something with more juice. Ortega again identified Defendant at trial as the second shooter. We agree. Title: Microsoft Word - 2023-01-25 SJ County H2 Fact Sheet - FINAL.docx Author: Chris Created Date: 1/25/2023 9:37:23 AM . He was born and raised in Bernal, N.M., to Ted Trujillo and LuAnna Bustamante. Strange Leaves Analysis In the short story "Strange Leaves," Christopher Carmona uses symbolism to concentrate on body and domestic horror by directing his attention to young women traveling across Latin America who are betrayed by their country, home, and physical appearance. We do not find the trial court's decision to be arbitrary, capricious, or beyond reason. Furthermore, Ortiz was present and available for cross-examination, which meant the jury could observe his demeanor and make its own determinations regarding Ortiz's credibility. BLOG; CATEGORIES. The prosecutor then requested that the court allow him to play for the jury the tape of Ortiz's July 3rd statement to Detective Shawn in which Ortiz gave a more detailed account of the events. The same motivation that influenced Ortiz to neglect to name the two men on the balcony would, I think, encourage him to shift the blame for the fatal shot from his cousin to Defendant. Even assuming competent counsel would not have performed in such a manner, we do not find the necessary prejudice. A Memorial Tree was planted for Christopher, We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Riverside Funeral Home of Santa Fe, Has a Death Occurred? There may be more than one cause of death. Moreover, Defendant did not demonstrate that had his counsel moved for a continuance until Canas could be located, the motion would have been granted. Learn more about FindLaws newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. Thus, even assuming a reasonably competent attorney would have timely objected, Defendant has not demonstrated that but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Brazeal, 109 N.M. at 757-58, 790 P.2d at 1038-39 (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. We conclude that the alleged failings of counsel in this case do not result in ineffective assistance of counsel regardless of whether they are considered individually or cumulatively. We conclude that Defendant's thirty year sentence with the possibility of good time credit does not constitute fundamental error. Chris is survived by his loving wife Amber Trujillo and sons Jason(Chinche)Trujillo, Christopher(Cola)Trujillo and Ambrose(Chicken) Trujillo, mother LuAnna Bustamante, father Ted Trujillo, maternal grandmother Ramona Jaramillo, paternal grandmother Preddie Thompson, brother Dominic Trujillo and wife Katherine, nephew Julian Lucero, nieces Seryna Rodriguez, Alyssa Lucero Brandi Trujillo and Briana Trujillo all of Bernal, NM. Defendant's argument on this point is two-fold: (1) the trial court's admission of the evidence violated Defendant's constitutional right to confront the witnesses against him; and (2) the trial court erred in ruling that the evidence was admissible. The fact that Ortiz most likely would view his cousin as being less culpable had he not fired the fatal shots significantly diminishes any circumstantial guarantee of trustworthiness based on the notion that people do not implicate family members unless believing it to be true. Defendant asserts that an unconstitutional sentence is an illegal sentence that may be challenged for the first time on appeal, relying on State v. Sinyard, 100 N.M. 694, 695, 675 P.2d 426, 427 (Ct.App.1983) and State v. Smith, 102 N.M. 350, 351-353, 695 P.2d 834, 835-837. Chris was a hard worker and established his company "All American Towing" in 2017. He earned his wings too soon on May 4, 2021. Elisia Miranda Trujillo entered into life eternal on Friday, February 10, 2023, at the age of 94. He was born and raised in Bernal, New Mexico to Ted Trujillo and LuAnna Bustamante. However, this argument does not adequately take into account the fact that Ortiz did not have to implicate his cousin at all. On cross-examination, Detective Shawn testified that at the time of the interview he felt that Ortiz knew who the shooters were but was concealing their identity. {53} Defendant argues that the prosecutor improperly led Ortega on the crucial issue of identification, undermining the truth-finding process and violating principles of fundamental fairness. In our analysis. Thus, we conclude that Detective Shawn's references to Canas' testimony were not sufficiently prejudicial to require a finding of fundamental error. In closing the prosecutor made two references to Canas' statement: Let me take you to the balcony. As a preliminary matter, we must first consider the question of whether Defendant preserved the confrontation issue for appellate review. Id. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. At that point the trial court allowed the witness to be led, and the direct examination continued with the prosecutor graphically describing sexual acts of defendant by way of leading questions, to each of which the witness gave a simple answer of yes. Id. On the stand Ortiz stated that he could not recall the particular details of the crime. Ortega testified that he heard someone on the balcony ask them what they were doing in their barrio-meaning the Barelas barrio-and that he was talking to Canas, Ortega and Mendez, all Juaritos. VI, 2. Because of our disposition of Defendant's convictions for conspiracy to commit depraved-mind murder and conspiracy to commit shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, the only remaining conspiracy conviction is conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. {77} In fact, the State introduced evidence of Ortiz's and Defendant's gang membership to explain why Ortiz may have lied at trial and to provide a motive for the quarrel. This is where Chris became interested in law enforcement. Dissent 79. 2023 March February January 2022 December November October September August . Now, you said Charlie started shooting first. Why WriteAPrisoner? 1555, 131 L.Ed.2d 490 (1995), Defendant had knowledge of these two men's juvenile records and has not demonstrated any prejudice which resulted from the State's failure to provide that information. It was just one. Thus, even though he failed to interview, secure the presence of, or secure a continuance until Canas could be located, it appears undisputed that at least portions of Canas' testimony would have been highly inculpatory, and we are not persuaded that his testimony would have been sufficiently exculpatory to result in an acquittal. The second reference came in the middle of his argument about the consistent statements of Ortega and Ortiz: You'd expect two completely different stories if we believe this theory that everyone in gangs lies. Luciano (Lucky) (Caddy) Trujillo, 78, of Pojoaque, passed away on October 28, 2021 at his home in Nambe. Albuquerque, NM. Email. Defense counsel was apparently not timely informed that they had been brought in and, therefore, did not have an opportunity to interview them at that time. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin are among a small group of celebrity exes, that are still friends. He Then left school to pursue his dream in the Arts. He is a Taos High School graduate of (1998). There was nothing in his statement that indicated that any of the shots had been fired at any building. Furthermore, both identified Defendant as one of the shooters from a photo lineup shown to them by Detective Shawn the night of the shooting. We affirm Defendant's convictions for first-degree depraved-mind murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. Nevertheless, the State put forth no evidence from which the jury could infer that any of the shots from any shooter were directed at or hit any building, nor did it cite to any in its briefing to this Court. Ortega unequivocally testified that Defendant and Allison were the shooters, and the jury was given the opportunity to consider Ortiz's prior statement to that effect. I think you are stuck with the strategy there. Detective Shawn stated that on the night of the shooting Ortega identified Defendant as one of the shooters from a photo lineup and that he recorded this identification. At FindLaw.com, we pride ourselves on being the number one source of free legal information and resources on the web. . This case raises the unique jurisdictional issue of whether a serious youthful offender convicted of first-degree murder is allowed to invoke our mandatory appellate jurisdiction even though he is sentenced to less than life imprisonment due to the discretion afforded district court judges when sentencing serious youthful offenders convicted of a capital felony. Second, Ortiz's ranking out of the Barelas gang offered a plausible explanation for the start of the quarrel; his former comrades objected to Ortiz showing back up at the scene of his disgrace. Thus, jurisdiction in this case is proper and we review Defendant's appeal on the merits. Exercising this discretion, the trial court sentenced Defendant to a term of THIRTY (30) YEARS, BUT NOT LIFE for his first-degree murder conviction. STATE of New Mexico, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Chris TRUJILLO, Defendant-Appellant. While a life sentence has never been interpreted to mean a sentence to imprisonment for the duration of the defendant's natural life, it has been interpreted to mean thirty years of imprisonment before the possibility of parole or reduction of sentence through good time credits. Defendant maintains that the only testimony regarding the sequence of events surrounding the shooting was from Ortega who testified that Allison shot at Mendez multiple times before Defendant took the gun and shot towards Canas and Ortega. However, Detective Shawn testified that he believed Ortiz was generally telling the truth, but that he was withholding the actual names of the shooters and was only willing to give a physical description of them. 2023 a case was filed by Lucero Chris, in the jurisdiction of Bernalillo County. {47} We consider the entire proceeding as a whole and judge any claim of ineffectiveness on whether counsel's conduct so undermined the proper functioning of the adversarial process that the trial cannot be relied on as having produced a just result. State v. Richardson, 114 N.M. 725, 727, 845 P.2d 819, 821 (Ct.App.1992) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 686, 104 S.Ct. Two months later, on March 23, police say 35-year-old Trujillo beat and strangled Pound before staging the scene to look like a suicide attempt. The defendant helped, encouraged or caused the crime to be committed. {48} We next address Defendant's argument that the prosecutor engaged in prosecutorial misconduct that deprived him of a fair trial. The court indicated that as to the identity of the shooter, Defendant was not prejudiced because Canas could have testified that the shooter was bald, but at the same time he may have elicited information that that bald person's name was Silly [Defendant's alias]. View Verna T. Background Search . . In that interview Ortiz stated that he did not recognize the shooters but described them as a little guy wearing light blue jeans and a striped shirt, presumably Defendant, and a big guy wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, presumably Allison. The dissent agrees that as a general matter we should defer to the discretion of the trial judge on evidentiary matters, but argues that [s]uch deference has less force in this case, where it is less than clear from the record that the trial court relied upon Rule 11-803(X) in its ruling. Dissent 80. Lucky was born in Pojoaque, New Mexico on August 12, 1943 to Luis Trujillo and Andalecia Archibeque. We think the record makes clear that the trial judge relied on Rule 11-803(X), even though it may not have been the cornerstone of its ruling. Los Trujillo Map. View Christopher Trujillo's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Ortega testified that Allison shot at Mendez first and then Defendant took the gun from Allison and shot at the other two. Thus, under our law, adults convicted of first-degree murder may appeal directly to the Supreme Court, as of right, because they will always be sentenced to life imprisonment or death, while it appears juvenile offenders convicted of first-degree murder may not be able to appeal their convictions directly to the Supreme Court because the trial court has discretion to sentence them to less than a life sentence. Christopher John Trujillo was born on March 30, 1991. About. The State also presented evidence that there was a verbal exchange between Allison, Defendant and Mendez and that some gang identification prompted the shooting. The majority holding otherwise, I respectfully dissent. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985)). Brandon Trujillo - New Mexico. Pound was taken to the hospital and removed from. {54} Defendant next argues that the prosecutor improperly elicited damaging hearsay testimony on the issue of identification. She was a beloved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a friend to many. For example, the prosecutor asked: Q. Request Quote . State v. Ross, 1996-NMSC-031, 122 N.M. 15, 20, 919 P.2d 1080, 1085. . [A] non-jurisdictional claim not raised in the lower court is not properly reviewable on appeal. State v. Burdex, 100 N.M. 197, 201, 668 P.2d 313, 317 (Ct.App.1983) (finding defendant's constitutional claim of cruel and unusual punishment was not asserted at the trial court and was therefore not properly preserved for appeal because such a claim is non-jurisdictional).4 We therefore review Defendant's claim for fundamental error.