Disasters,crime Videos

A new report reveals a legal system in distress at the Bernalillo County Courthouse as thousands of criminal cases go through its courtrooms each year. Felony cases at the court increased by 20% in the past five years, and on average, it takes more than a year and a half for each one to get wrapped up. That's better than the state average, but the report found something that's jamming up justice: Accused criminals not showing up in court. The study shows more than half of people charged with felonies are no-shows— causing bad delays. Every year, 40,000 people are booked through Albuquerque's jail, and half of those are felony charges according to a study released by a group called the National Center for State Courts. It's a nonprofit group that helps court systems get more efficient. Prosecutors and judges at the courthouse are dealing with felony cases, but that process appears to be anything but smooth. The study finds 60% to 70% of the time, the people charged with those felonies don't bother showing up for court, forcing judges to issue warrants. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg says the problem is causing delays in too many cases. Brandenburg said, "Well, it has a huge impact because we are ready to go, be it an arraignment or a motion sometimes trial, sentencing, a plea...and when they don't show up it stops everything." Defendants not showing up causes major delays. "It could be weeks, or months or sometimes years before that individual is arrested and brought in and that case resumes," Brandenburg said. The study found another setback: There's no uniformity between criminal reports created by Albuquerque police and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department. The city's new chief of public safety, Darren White, says the city is already working on that, but adds the study misses a huge point. White said, "Yes, I understand, let's make our court system communicating with other agencies that participate in it, let makes sure it moves as possible. But I get frustrated when I see these studies, because you know what the public wants? The public wants criminals locked up and kept there." The study makes quite a bit of recommendations to increase efficiency within the court system, which means hiring more people. With the state's budget crisis, DA Brandenburg says many of the study's recommendations are impossible to meet. State law allows most cases to be dismissed if a trial doesn't happen within six months of the suspect being arraigned. However, that report found the law is seldom applied because 2/3 of all felony suspects fail to appear for their court proceedings, which allows prosecutors to file for extensions.

James Woods has settled a lawsuit against a hospital in Rhode Island where his younger brother Michael died in 2006. Kent Hospital will create creating an institute in Michael Woods' honor to study redesigning health care and reducing errors. (Dec. 2)

an albuquerque police officer is minute thumbnail 10:00 pm recovering tonight after being shot during a thanksgiving day argument near los lunas jeff maher spoke with a family member who was there during the shooting. he's live at u-n-m hospital with the story you'll see only on four. jeff. tammy massart, a 17-year veteran of the albuquerque police department just had her second surgery here at u-n-m- hospital after getting shot in the stomach. state police tell us she is in stable condition. the circumstances surrounding the shooting are still unknown. around eight last night -- bosque farms police were called out to this minute thumbnail 10:01 pm home after an off-duty albuquerque police officer was shot in the stomach. the officer was rushed to u-n-m hospital. state police took over the investigation -- and spent the entire night sifting through evidence inside the house today - we went back to the house to try and learn more about what happened. a man who identified himself as the son of the officer's life partner told us what happened off-camera "i thought it was going to be a normal thanksgiving and then there was arguing, trying to watch a movie, then you hear a pop and someone yell call 911 and screaming bloody murder basically" the man says the officer, tammy massart, has been with his mother for the past 27 years. he says they lived together at the home state lice say it's unclear if massart shot herself during the argument, or if she was shot by someone else -- but they say no arrests have been made yet the man suggested that massart did it to herself. "she really hurt my mom last night, not physically, but doing it right in front minute thumbnail 10:02 pm of her" the man says there were also three kids in the house at the time of the shooting, including his own young son. state police say massart was shot with a handgun -- they are not sure if it is her own police-issued gun "if this does go on the air, just tell people that stupid things happen and think before you do anything because you're not hurting yourself, you're hurting other people too" state police tell us they are planning to interview massart once she is in a condition where she can talk to them about what haened. live at u-n-m- hospital. jeff maher. eyewitness news four.

an albuquerque police officer is minute thumbnail 10:00 pm recovering tonight after being shot during a thanksgiving day argument near los lunas jeff maher spoke with a family member who was there during the shooting. he's live at u-n-m hospital with the story you'll see only on four. jeff. tammy massart, a 17-year veteran of the albuquerque police department just had her second surgery here at u-n-m- hospital after getting shot in the stomach. state police tell us she is in stable condition. the circumstances surrounding the shooting are still unknown. around eight last night -- bosque farms police were called out to this minute thumbnail 10:01 pm home after an off-duty albuquerque police officer was shot in the stomach. the officer was rushed to u-n-m hospital. state police took over the investigation -- and spent the entire night sifting through evidence inside the house today - we went back to the house to try and learn more about what happened. a man who identified himself as the son of the officer's life partner told us what happened off-camera "i thought it was going to be a normal thanksgiving and then there was arguing, trying to watch a movie, then you hear a pop and someone yell call 911 and screaming bloody murder basically" the man says the officer, tammy massart, has been with his mother for the past 27 years. he says they lived together at the home state lice say it's unclear if massart shot herself during the argument, or if she was shot by someone else -- but they say no arrests have been made yet the man suggested that massart did it to herself. "she really hurt my mom last night, not physically, but doing it right in front minute thumbnail 10:02 pm of her" the man says there were also three kids in the house at the time of the shooting, including his own young son. state police say massart was shot with a handgun -- they are not sure if it is her own police-issued gun "if this does go on the air, just tell people that stupid things happen and think before you do anything because you're not hurting yourself, you're hurting other people too" state police tell us they are planning to interview massart once she is in a condition where she can talk to them about what haened. live at u-n-m- hospital. jeff maher. eyewitness news four.

A man involved in an incident with a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer shown on the Internet will not face felony charges. Michael Gibson has pleaded not guilty to disturbing the peace, public drunkenness and indecent exposure. (Nov. 24)

(11/24.09) - A three years of lawsuits, a paint company has agreed, after mediation, to clean up the Harpeth River and Liberty Creek.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford will face charges he violated state laws, according to an ethics panel ruling Wednesday that came after a three-month investigation. (Nov. 19)

The Colorado couple, Richard and Mayumi Heene, accused of pulling a hoax by reporting their son was aboard a runaway balloon is avoiding more spectacle and a trial by entering guilty pleas. (Nov. 13)

The parents accused of pulling a spectacular hoax by reporting that their 6-year-old son had floated away aboard a helium bail have agreed to plead guilty in a deal that could send them both to jail but protect the wife from deportation. (Nov. 12)

A portion of northbound University Boulevard near Lead has been closed this morning after police cordoned off a crime scene. Officials haven’t said what they’re investigating, but their efforts appear to center around a dumpster in an alley in the area. Eyewitness News 4 has a crew on the scene. For the latest, tune to Eyewitness News 4 Today and stay with KOB.com.

(11/09/09) - A Nashville man is serving 15 years in jail after flushing a toilet, and it’s a case that will be reviewed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

A German man reportedly dumped by a Brazilian woman he met on the Internet camped out in an airport for 13 days before being taken Thursday to a hospital for a psychological evaluation. (Oct. 29)

(10/30/09) - Juvenile crime rates have dropped 55 percent since a juvenile program hit Clarksville, said police.