New Mexico sheriff pleads not guilty in case related to disputed traffic stop
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Version 0 of 1. Faced with a new indictment in a rapidly evolving case, a northern New Mexico sheriff pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges stemming from an off-duty traffic stop that authorities say left a driver injured. Rio Arriba County sheriff Thomas Rodella was arraigned on deprivation of rights and brandishing a firearm in a superseding indictment just a month after he was indicted in case related to a March encounter. Flanked by his wife and family, Rodella said he understood the new indictment and left without speaking to reporters. Robert Gorence, Rodella’s attorney, denied the allegations and said that the case against Rodella is largely based on a dispute with US attorney Damon Martinez over US forest service patrols in northern New Mexico. A hearing is scheduled later Monday on Gorence’s motion to disqualify Martinez from the case. The US attorney’s office declined to comment. Rodella was in plainclothes when he pulled over motorist in March, jumped out of his personal SUV with a gun and shoved his badge in the motorist’s face. Authorities said the driver was dragged from his car and thrown to the ground, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Rodella has been involved in at least three other questionable traffic stops. On Monday, a federal judge denied a request from Gorence that jurors be drawn from northern New Mexico – an area where Rodella maintains support. The court ruled that Rodella couldn’t show how drawing a jury from central New Mexico created “an unfair and unreasonable underrepresentation because of systematic exclusion”. The case against Rodella has led to calls from some elected officials for him to resign. Rodella has responded by asking state police to investigate various allegations of corruption by county officials. He said he had no plans to step down. FBI agents raided Rodella’s home in June just hours after he lost the Democratic nomination for Rio Arriba County sheriff to challenger James Lujan by 200 votes. Lujan was a deputy Rodella had fired. |