A judge Thursday dismissed a second-degree murder charge against former Las Cruces police officer Christopher Smelser. He was accused of killing Antonio Valenzuela with a controversial chokehold technique during a traffic stop in 2020. Justin Garcia, public safety reporter with the Las Cruces Sun-News who's been following the case closely, spoke with KUNM about why it was the judge not the jury who declared Smelser not guilty.
A trial judge dismissed a second-degree murder charge against the former officer, Christopher Smelser, in the death of Antonio Valenzuela, 40, during a traffic stop in Las Cruces.
A New Mexico judge has cleared a former police officer of criminal charges after he was accused of killing a suspect with a chokehold more than two years ago.