Email Gov. Richardson on Progressive Eyewitness ID Reform Bill

The national blog TalkLeft has a post on NM Senate Bill 5, including a good description of what the bill would do and why it's needed. The story is also crossposted at DailyKos. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. John Grubesic (D-Santa Fe) and addresses the problem of mistaken eyewitness identification, the most common cause of wrongful convictions. The bill has already been passed by the Senate Public Affairs Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, and heads next to the NM Senate Floor. It may be voted on as early as today.

The bill is supported by the state's criminal defense attorneys, the American Civil Liberties Union and Barry Scheck's Innocence Project, among others. In a letter urging the adoption of such measures, Scheck called NM's bill "an excellent model" that "incorporates many of the scientifically documented 'best practices' for eyewitness reform."

Unfortunately, the eyewitness ID reform bill is being fought by NM Attorney General Gary King and law enforcement agencies. To urge your State Senator to support this bill, click here. We also need Governor Richardson to step in and support this bill. As the Talk Left post says:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson wants to be the Democrats' nominee for President. A good way for him to begin the journey would be to endorse Senate Bill 5 and show he values justice and is willing to be smart, not tough, on crime. Send him an e-mail and urge him to support this bill.

(Thanks to Tim O'Toole for the heads up on this.)