‘It will be very hard for the defense’: Suspect in deadly crash faces felony charges
By Angel Salcedo
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SANTA FE, New Mexico (KOAT) — The suspect in the car chase that killed a Santa Fe police officer and a retired Las Vegas firefighter was arrested yesterday. She’s facing several charges, including two counts of first-degree murder.
Jeannine Jaramillo is facing felony charges after being arrested in connection with the crash that killed a Santa Fe police officer and a retired Las Vegas firefighter.
Santa Fe’s District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said, “through this horrific chain of events, we have seen the danger and damage that Miss Jaramillo is capable of.”
KOAT legal expert John Day said, “the key charge here is going to be the first-degree murder charge because that’s the one that can land someone in prison for life without parole.”
Day says those charges stem from what police are calling a fabricated kidnapping. On September 8th of, 2021, Jaramillo was charged with a similar incident in Grants.
New Mexico State Police Deputy Chief Carolyn Huynh said Jaramillo’s statement during the Grants incident is suspiciously similar to her statement in this incident, including a male subject holding her against her will with a knife to her neck.
“It certainly could come into play for the prosecution, the idea that this is some kind of pattern, and this is something that she engages in often,” Day said.
Day also says the defense could claim insanity because of that pattern.
“If they’re going the route of saying she was insane and not responsible for her actions, then a defendant could be committed to a state hospital for an indefinite period of time to be treated, then go back and stand trial,” Day said.
Day believes it’s the argument the defense will most likely take, but they may not have much success.
“The facts, as we’ve heard them, are that this is someone who was making deliberate decisions. It’ll be very, very hard for the defense team to raise or succeed at some type of insanity defense at this point,” Day said.
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