A federal judge has postponed the trial for a Marion, North Carolina, man charged with the murder of a New Mexico State Police officer in March. U.S. District Court Judge James O. Browning granted the defense team’s request to delay the trial of Jaremy Smith by nearly a month, moving the date from June 10 to July 8.
Jaremy Smith, 33, is accused of several charges, including carjacking resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death, related to the March 15 shooting of Officer Justin Hare on Interstate 40 near Albuquerque. Smith was arrested on March 17 by Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies in an Albuquerque neighborhood after being shot multiple times during a brief foot chase.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 9. Prosecutors have stated they are considering the death penalty if he is convicted. Smith’s attorneys mentioned in court documents that a “mitigation presentation” is planned for early July, which could potentially remove the death penalty from consideration. They argued that preparing for this presentation, along with the criminal trial, is overwhelming.
“There is still a great deal of work to be done, which cannot be accomplished by the current deadlines set by the court,” Smith’s attorneys stated in their motion.
On April 18, Smith pleaded not guilty to charges including carjacking resulting in death, causing death by the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, kidnapping resulting in death, and interstate transport of a stolen vehicle.
Last week, Smith’s legal team requested a delay in the trial, citing the “voluminous” evidence, which includes over 7,700 individual items.
Judge Browning, in his June 4 decision, noted, “The court finds that granting the continuance will strike a proper balance between the ends of justice and the best interests of the public.” He also mentioned that the delay was necessary as “defense counsel anticipates plea negotiations with the government will begin shortly.”
In addition to the charges related to Officer Hare’s death, Smith is facing 17 charges in connection with the death of Pee Dee paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore, whose body was discovered on March 15 outside Lake View in Dillon County, North Carolina.
No mercy for cop killers.
You mean no mercy for killing anyone, right? Cops lives are no more valuable or important than you or I.
Wrong. You and I don’t protect you and I from thieves and murderers. Cops put their lives on the line every day. You and I receive the benefit of their sacrifice. I believe their lives are more valuable and important than mine or yours. I agree there should be no mercy for murderers.
you are wrong john. They are no more important than anyone else. This kind of elitist thinking is why our state is so messed up.
It is not elitist to support cops. They are faced with possible death every time they go to work. What risk are you faced with? Do you deal with dead children, battered family members, strung out junkies etc when you leave your home? If you truly believe you are correct, I suggest you do a ride-along. Supporting cops is simply good judgement. Are some bad? Yes. Are most good? Yes. We need them.
The left will want to make Jaremy Smith a hero and a martyr like they did George Floyd. Don’t let them.
Get ready for a “peaceful” BLM protest at his trial.
No doubt Gabe Vasquez would support mitigating Smith’s sentence.
Smith’s defense team should negotiate a guilty plea with a guarantee of no death penalty.
And we wonder why murder continues, no justice for the victim.
How about a guarantee of a life sentence, so he doesn’t walk in a few years?
Death penalty so we really know he won’t walk the streets again…EVER!!!🤨
This loser/thug should have already had a 30 minute trial and then taken out and hanged. There is no excuse and there is no doubt that he is the killer, so why the delays. It is just like the El Paso Wal Mart shooter who killed so many innocent people is still breathing air today with delay after delay. Why are these cold blooded killers being coddled by our Justice system when there is no doubt at all as to the crime they committed?
I know this is a federal case, but NM needs to reinstate the death penalty.
No plea bargain whatsoever. Thankfully Federal Statute still allows for the death penalty for the conviction of certain Federal crimes. That seems to be the obvious case here. Find this individual guilty as charged and impose the death penalty to be carried out as quickly as possible.
This individual should never again have an opportunity to commit any crimes outside of prison walls and should be removed from society with all dispatch!
Yes all lives are sacred, officers put their lives in jeopardy so we can live freely. If one takes an officers life how easy would he take yours. They are what stands for our freedoms.
I say hoorah for Kevin. Take him out and hang him in public so people can watch and see what happens to idiot’s like him.