This summary was computer-generated without any editorial revision. It is not official, has not been checked for accuracy, and is NOT citable.
Facts
- The Defendant was convicted and sentenced for three separate counts of child abuse. The case was brought before the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico following these convictions.
Procedural History
- District Court of Otero County: The Defendant was convicted and sentenced for three separate counts of child abuse.
Parties' Submissions
- Defendant-Appellant: Argued that her right to be free from double jeopardy was violated, contending she should have been subject to only one charge and one punishment for child abuse (para 1).
- Plaintiff-Appellee (State of New Mexico): Filed a notice of its intent not to file a memorandum in opposition to the Court of Appeals' notice of proposed disposition, effectively not contesting the Defendant's appeal (para 1).
Legal Issues
- Whether the Defendant's right to be free from double jeopardy was violated by convicting and sentencing her for three separate counts of child abuse for what she contends should have been a single charge and punishment.
Disposition
- The Court of Appeals reversed two of the Defendant's child abuse convictions and remanded with instructions to the district court to vacate those two convictions and re-sentence the Defendant accordingly (para 2).
Reasons
-
VARGAS, Judge (with LINDA M. VANZI, Judge and JACQUELINE R. MEDINA, Judge concurring):The Court of Appeals initially proposed to agree with the Defendant that her right to be free from double jeopardy was violated. The State's decision not to oppose this proposed disposition further supported the Court's decision to reverse two of the Defendant's child abuse convictions. The Court relied on the reasoning contained in its notice of proposed disposition, which was not detailed in the decision, to reverse and remand for re-sentencing, indicating a unanimous agreement among the judges on the panel (paras 1-2).
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.