should lawyer carlos fierro have received more time in the slammer for killing a man while driving drunk? a lot of people are sounding off about it on feedback four. and others say there was a way for him to get a much tougher sentence. joe vigil joins us with our top story. prosecutors could have pushed for even more time behind bars for minute thumbnail 10:00 pm fierro--but decided not to. for the vehicular homicide charge carlos fierro got 6 years in prison for killing william tenorio while driving drunk. that is the maximum sentence in new mexico for vehicular homicide. with good behavior fierro could spend a total of just three years behind bars. but prosecutors could have pushed for the crime to be considered a serious violent offense. if a judge would have signed off on it---fierro would have been required to do 85% of the sentence... more than 5 years in prison. "the serious violent offense i think would apply in this case not only does linda atkinson with the dwi resource center think it applies--she says it should have been pushed in this case. "a vehicle tears through a human being it's serious and violent and you leave them in the street and don't know if their alive or dead." angela pacheco prosecuted the case and says she was going to push for the serious violent offense. minute thumbnail 10:01 pm but prosecutors and the defense ended up agreeing on a plea deal..in part because there were discussions of a possible new trail because the jury couldn't reach a verdict one a charge of leaving the scene of an accident. as part of the deal it was agreed that the crime would not be considered a serious violent offense. and fierro could not appeal. pacheco says the tenorio family didn't want another trial--they wanted closure. and pachecho says she respected those wishes and agreed to the plea. linda atkinson says dwi records really don't indicate how many defendants get more time because they're deemed a serious violent offender. but madd officials tell us they encourage victims to ask for the extra time
For those who do not live in the Rio Grande valley, the river with the same name, is just a water barrier with Mexico; but for small town police officers like Joe Cantu of La Joya, Texas, the Rio Grande is also a last line of protection. [www.clipsyndicate.com | FOX KRIV Houston, TX]
[www.clipsyndicate.com | WHNT CBS19 Huntsville, AL]
THEY'VE BEEN HIT WITH FURLOUGHS, AND PAY-CUTS AND HAD TO SHELL OUT MORE FOR THEIR BENEFITS. AND NOW STATE LAWMAKERS ARE CALLING ON STATE WORKERS TO TAKE ANOTHER HIT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR PENSIONS. SANTA FE BUREAU CHIEF GADI SCHWARTZ IS LIVE IN THE ROUNDHOUSE WITH THE STORY. IT'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW- AND SENATORS VOTING IN COMMITTEE TONIGHT KNEW IT... IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW IT WOULD INCREASE HOW MUCH COMES OUT OF STATE EMPLOYEES CHECKS FOR THEIR PENSIONS... [www.clipsyndicate.com | KOB Albuquerque]
Sheriff changes DWI policy [www.clipsyndicate.com | KRQE CBS 13 Albuquerque]
Jail officials say had Sergeant Richard Guzman been brought to the county jail after his DWI arrest, he likely would not have come in contact with any of the other inmates here, meaning his safety would not have ever been in jeopardy. The deputy who arrested Guzman Sunday morning brought him to a police substation where he was allowed to go home. The county sheriff later said the sergeant's safety was the reason why he wasn't taken to the jail. MDC Chief of Corrections Ronald Torres disagrees. "We've handled those types of situations with our own officers unfortunately-- and even a judge at one point--so, from our end I'm confident that we would be able to provide the safety that would be necessary.” [www.clipsyndicate.com | KOB Albuquerque]
[www.clipsyndicate.com | WTKR CBS 3 Norfolk, VA]
wavy news 10 online [www.clipsyndicate.com | WAVY NBC 10 Norfolk]
Clinton Mayor talks taxes [www.clipsyndicate.com | WTHI CBS 10 Terre Haute]
Tuesday night was a busy one for tow truck drivers in West Michigan, considering the snowfall. Some drivers struggled to keep up with demand. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WOOD NBC 8 Grand Rapids]
It's not just the weather police are adjusting to this winter. The new cable guardrail system is presenting challenges, as well. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WOOD NBC 8 Grand Rapids]
Tried out a different shot for the 11pm [www.clipsyndicate.com | WISH CBS 8 Indianapolis]
Glendale Police and Fire are at the scene of a serious pickup vs. pedestrian accident at 67th Ave and Bethany Home Rd. [www.clipsyndicate.com | KSAZ FOX 10 Phoenix, AZ]
Michael Swiergosz sat down exclusivly with FOX Toledo News reporter Michelle Zepeda Tuesday, 24 hours after he was sentenced to 40 years in jail for raping and kidnapping his ex-wife during a hostage situation in April 2009. The 47-year-old Swiergosz talked candidly about the April 2009 hostage situation, the March 2009 standoff with police in his Springfield Township home, with his ex-wife, the January trials, and what he is calling a life sentence in prison. He told Michelle Zepeda in Lucas County Jail that he doesn't feel he received a fair trial, partially because the media was fixated on his case and the jury was tainted. He believed the trial should have happened in another county. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WUPW FOX Toledo, OH]
When Kari Francis learned they needed volunteers at the newly opened animal shelter in Westfield she literally jumped at the chance to help care for the unfortunate strays, and to prepare them for the day they'll be adopted.. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WWLP NBC 22 Springfield M]
Four people were injured in a two-car accident on Route 9 in Hadley Tuesday morning. Traffic is down to one lane near West Street while crews work to clear the scene. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WWLP NBC 22 Springfield M]
wavy news at 5 [www.clipsyndicate.com | WAVY NBC 10 Norfolk]
Police in Gwinnett County were on the scene of a double shooting outside a movie theater in Lawrenceville Tuesday night. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WAGA FOX 5 Atlanta, GA ]
Five students were suspended for fighting on a DeKalb County school bus and when one parent stepped in, he got in trouble too. The DeKalb County father said Tuesday that when he heard his daughter had been hurt during a fight, he got police involved, but in the process, he may have overstepped his grounds. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WAGA FOX 5 Atlanta, GA ]
When the weather gets bad, firefighters and police officers have to find ways to get through the snow to respond to emergencies. With up to 10 inches in the forecast, members of the Rossford Fire Department is using a 4x4 pickup truck loaded with salt and snow shovels on every call – equipment that’s needed simply to clear a path to a person’s door. As for actually driving to a call, emergency crews plan on driving a bit slower, because they say if they can’t help anyone if they never make it to the scene. Part of that involves cooperation from other drivers on the road, something that can become tricky with slippery road conditions. “Take it slow,” firefighter Steve Vierk said. “If they see us, don't slam on their brakes if we're coming up behind them. Take it easy, drive slow, try to pull over as far as they can.” [www.clipsyndicate.com | WUPW FOX Toledo, OH]
The Lambeau tax: part one [www.clipsyndicate.com | WLUK FOX 11 Green Bay]
A Mississippi woman and her family are calling a Crenshaw police officer a hero for saving her life and nearly losing his own. [www.clipsyndicate.com | WHBQ FOX 13 Memphis, TN]
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