February 7, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Albuquerque, NM – Today the New Mexico Supreme Court agreed with our appeal and granted the State’s pretrial detention motion against Joe Anderson after the motion had originally been denied by a district judge Emeterio Rudolfo on January 10th.
Anderson has a 19 year criminal history, including a voluntary manslaughter conviction in 2016. The 2016 conviction clearly prohibited Anderson from possessing any firearms. In August 2022, Anderson picked up several felony charges including felon in possession of a firearm and receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle. That case resulted in the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office filing a pretrial detention motion that was denied.
Anderson was again arrested in December on a charge of first degree murder for a shooting occurring on August 6th. The Bernalillo County DA’s Office filed another pretrial detention motion after Anderson was charged with his second homicide, this motion was again denied.
On January 23rd our Office appealed the latest pretrial detention decision and quickly received a response from the New Mexico Supreme Court which reversed the District Court Judge’s decision.
“The decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court is in the best interest of justice and the safety of Bernalillo County residents,” said Attorney General Raul Torrez. “There should be no question that a defendant with a lengthy criminal record, charged with first degree murder and convicted of a previous homicide, should be released into the public pending trial. I am proud of the result my Office was able to secure today.”