In August 2022, Las Cruces Police Officer, Brad Lunsford, shot Presley Eze in the back of the head. This public execution of a Black man made Eze one of the 32 people whose lives were stolen by police in NM that year. What is unique in this case is that in February 2025 Lunsford was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. Despite well over 1,000 police killings in the US every year, in the past 20 years only 205 killer cops have been charged with homicide or manslaughter. Out of those 205, only 27 were actually convicted – which translates to a horribly low only 0.1% of killer cops getting locked up. (according to the Police Integrity Research Group, (AP News article))
In New Mexico, this is the first time this decade that a cop has been charged for an on-duty killing. The last was in 2016 when killer cops Keith Sandy and Dominique Perez stood trial for their murder of James Boyd, who was mentally ill and homeless. In 2014 Officers Sandy, Perez, and others shot Boyd to death firing-squad-style after they blasted him with bean bags and released vicious dogs on him, all for the crime of illegal camping. The only reason they stood trial was because of the mass protests that took place in response. However, Sandy and Perez were not found guilty, despite gruesome footage, due to the mass movement dying down and a mistrial being declared.
Lunsford was found guilty on February 13th, 2025, but he was only locked up for a few weeks before getting released on bond to await sentencing. The wait continues to today. Throughout this period Lunsford has gathered support, financial and otherwise, from cops and racist bootlickers across the country.
Meanwhile Lunsford’s lawyer is making a big stink, whining that the entire trial was unfair, since two of the jurors in the trial were alternate jurors, but were mislabeled. It is deeply perverse that a cop with more than 80 uses of force during his career, who killed a man in broad daylight and cold blood, is claiming his rights were violated over a minute technicality. Nevertheless, his lawyer filed a motion for a retrial. Without strong intervention from people who care, given the twisted state of our justice system, there is a good chance that the guilty verdict will be dismissed, a retrial will take place, and Lunsford will be acquitted to commit more cruelties on the people of New Mexico. Cops are going to be packing the court to support their killer coworker. Go out with the attached flyer and talk to people about this case. Stand with Presley Eze, and all victims of police murder! Send Dare to Struggle New Mexico pictures and videos from your outing and reach out with any questions by email at Daretostrugglenm@proton.me or Instagram at Daretostruggle_nm
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