Police Chief Manipulates Alb. Journal

When Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz decided to unleash an “internal investigation” against Officer Sam Costales, defense witness in the Al Unser Sr. trial, Schultz knew who to call.

The Albuquerque Journal jumped like a trained dog.

The story, published the last day of the trial, led defense attorneys to question why Schultz should not be held in contempt of court for intimidation of a witness.

Costales had testified against the three Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies who arrested the 67-year-old Unser on his own property after dragging him from his truck and slamming him to the ground.

Unser was charged with disobeying officers and resisting arrest. Costales testified the deputies were rude and unprofessional.

Unser was acquitted on both counts.

Costales now faces payback from his own boss, as well as from Sheriff Darren White, for simply telling the inconvenient truth about fellow cops using excessive force on a senior citizen.

Unser attorney Robert McNeill is asking both the Attorney General and District Attorney Kari Brandenburg to intervene. His letter states:

"Chief Schultz’s announcement (of an internal investigation) was triggered by a telephone call he received from BCSO Sheriff Darren White, who was annoyed that an APD officer would contradict the sworn testimony of the sheriff’s deputies...It is evident that an orchestrated effort to persecute and discredit an honest police officer is underway."

The arrogance of both Schultz and White, demonstrated in this transparent retaliation against Costales, shows how bad the system can get when public officials are not held accountable.

While Schultz and White may be expected to defend the status quo of their own disgraced departments, the state’s largest daily newspaper should be ashamed it ran Schultz’s story on demand, enabling his attempted intimidation of Costales.

Costales was not allowed to defend himself in the press, nor were Unser’s attorneys allowed to defend him.

Now that they have published emails between White and police union official James Badway exposing the “bad cop fraternity” that exists between the Sheriff’s Office and APD, we can only hope editors Karen Moses and Kent Walz pause before jumping the next time either Schultz or White calls.