The National Police Association has called on the Department of Justice to launch a civil rights probe into New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez. This request comes after Torrez prosecuted a police officer, Brad Lunsford, for the fatal shooting of a suspect who reportedly tried to grab his colleague’s stun gun.
Lunsford, an officer with the Las Cruces Police Department, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Presley Eze. The incident occurred when Eze was suspected of stealing beer and allegedly reached for another officer’s stun gun during a response to a gas station call in August 2022.
Under Torrez’s direction, a Democratic official, Lunsford faced prosecution for voluntary manslaughter as Torrez believed the shooting was not justified. In February, Lunsford was convicted by a jury for his actions.
“Today’s verdict reaffirms a fundamental principle: No one is above the law, not even those sworn to uphold it. Officer Lunsford’s actions were not just a tragic lapse in judgment; they were an egregious abuse of power that cost Presley Eze his life,” Torrez said after the verdict was announced.
National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith says the prosecution was politically charged. (Fox News)
Smith argued that Torrez used this case to benefit his political career.
“We absolutely believe that Attorney General Torrez is using the Lunsford case for his own political activism and for his gain as an elected official. And what is not being considered is Officer Lunsford’s record and the fact that he absolutely followed departmental policy, and he followed his training in this case,” Smith said.
Smith said the National Police Association is taking action against Torrez not only because of what’s happening to Lunsford, but also for the potential effect it could have on police officers across the country.
“This case will absolutely have a national impact, especially for police officers who have these far-left attorneys general and far-left state prosecutors who are more interested in putting police officers in prison than they are arresting and convicting actual criminals,” she said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Torrez’ office, the New Mexico Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice for comment.
