On Friday in the New Mexico Roundhouse the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee voted 6 yes and 3 nay, to back a proposal to increase the penalties for attempted and second-degree murder.
Senate Bill 96 was proposed by Senator Moe Maestas of Albuquerque. The bill would increase the penalty for second-degree attempted murder from three years to nine years. It also would increase the basic sentence for second-degree murder from 15 to 18 years.
Maestas told the committee the changes would make New Mexico’s criminal code more consistent with the rest of the nation and surrounding states. Under existing New Mexico law a second-offense drug dealer or and individual committing a variety of white collar crimes such as fraud or even theft faces more prison time than someone convicted of second-degree murder!
Since many muders that are originally classified as a premeditation is difficult to prove, many killings end up getting pleaded down with District Attorneys in New Mexico to a second degree murder resulting in shock to the families of victims when they learn the killer is facing only 15 years in prison.