'This is the hill to die on'
Originally filed in the three counties of the 5th Judicial District — Lea, Eddy, and Chaves — a total of 21 New Mexico counties are currently circulating or have filed similar citizen petitions to convene a grand jury, to investigate Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s actions during the pandemic
The pandemic has changed daily life, and now one more thing can be added to that list — a seldom if never used legal action of a citizens petition to convene a grand jury.
On Friday, a citizens petition calling for a grand jury investigation of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and her health orders creating COVID-19 restrictions was filed in the Fifth Judicial Court.
While laid out in the N.M. Statute Rule 5-302B, the process for a citizen petition to convene a grand jury is something no one in the court system has any experience with.
“We’re in uncharted waters for what’s going to happen,” Fifth Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce told the
News-Sun. “Since I’ve been district attorney, I’ve not had a citizens petition grand jury convened.” the cess is so unique and never been done before, the
News-Sun contacted former New Mexico Supreme Court Justice, Fifth Judicial District Judge and long-time Hobbs attorney Gary Clingman, who is not affiliated with the grand jury petition group, for his independent legal analysis and historic context to the petition and grand jury process.
Read more:
https://www.hobbsnews.com/2021/09/12/this-is-the-hill-to-die-on/
(Hobbs News-Sun)