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Post by SoulTrainOz on Jun 14, 2006 21:45:52 GMT -5
killer. Last Update: 06/14/2006 1:17:36 PM By: Reed Upton The Bernalillo County District Attorney has filed notice that she intends to seek the death penalty against an Albuquerque man accused of fatally shooting a sheriff’s deputy. District Attorney Kari Brandenberg, who has said she intends to personally handle the prosecution of Michael Paul Astorga, had until mid July to decide whether to seek the death penalty. Astorga was indicted on April 14th of the murder of Bernalillo County Deputy James McGrane in March of this year. McGrane had pulled over the truck Astorga was alleged to be in shortly after midnight March 22nd in Tijeras Canyon for a routine traffic stop when he was shot in the head once from a range of about ten feet. At the time of the shooting, Astorga was wanted for another murder that took place in Albuquerque in November of 2005. Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White said at the time that he believed Astorga shot McGrane in order to avoid being identified and arrested for the previous murder. Astorga, the object of a massive manhunt for 12 days, was taken into custody in Ciudad Juarez by Mexican law enforcement the morning of April 3rd. Source: www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=26260&cat=NMTOPSTORIES
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Post by SoulTrainOz on Jun 15, 2006 1:19:17 GMT -5
State to seek death penalty in Astorga case
Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Michael Paul Astorga, accused of fatally shooting Bernalillo County sheriff's Deputy James McGrane Jr. in the head March 22.
District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said members of the McGrane family on Monday gave her their blessing to pursue the death penalty.
Brandenburg's office filed the motion today about noon. No court dates have been set.
"Any case that means so much to the family, the community and the law enforcement community, it's a heavy burden for all of us," she said.
Astorga, 30, also faces murder charges in the November shooting death of Candido "Ray" Martinez.
Astorga was on the run from police in that case when McGrane, 38, stopped the truck he was driving in Tijeras to cite him for a traffic violation, sheriff's deputies say.
Astorga fled, but was snared in Mexico 14 days later after a massive manhunt.
He's being held in a state prison.
(source: Albuquerque Tribune)
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