Judge who jailed Pueblo group banned from bench for life

Wednesday, May 18, 2011  

A former state judge who sent a group of people from Taos Pueblo to jail has been barred from holding judicial office for life.

Sam Sanchez resigned last month after the New Mexico Supreme Court found that he abused his power in jailing the group on contempt charges. The court issued a final order on Monday that said he “intentionally and without any justification in law or fact convicted and jailed without determination of individual guilt or any semblance of providing due process of law a total of 32 courtroom spectators, an unknown fraction of whom had created a brief courtroom disturbance," The Albuquerque Journal reported.

The group, including several elderly tribal members, spent a night in jail. Some were sent as far away as Santa Fe, over 70 miles from the reservation.

The incident was sparked by the sentencing hearing of Dominic Bau, a tribal member who pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old relative. The crime occurred off the reservation. Supporters of Bau and family members of the victim clashed at the hearing

Get the Story:
Court Bans Former Judge From Bench for Life (The Albuquerque Journal 5/18)

Related Stories:
Judge who sent Taos Pueblo members to jail told to resign (4/22)
Court asked to punish judge who sent Pueblo members to jail (3/22)
Judge faces removal for sending Taos group to jail for contempt (12/3)
Judge who jailed Taos Pueblo group for contempt faces sanction (8/31)
Arrests of Taos Pueblo members expunged by court (1/7)
Contempt charges dropped against Pueblo group (11/24)