Metropolitan Court Judge J. Wayne Griego was recently brought before the Judicial Standards Commission for fixing tickets for court staff and family (read our take here). This is the second time that the Judge has played fast and loose with the law and we don't believe he's qualified to continue in his capacity as a Metro Court Judge.
The Center for Family Justice (find their website here) agrees with our position and has decided to do something about it. They're holding a three day rally (Tuesday, March 11th, Wednesday March 12th, and Thursday, March 13th) calling for a grand jury investigation into Griego's ticket fixing activities and collecting signatures for a petition to force a grand jury to be empanelled. CFJ President Leslie Cumiford explained their reason for pursing a grand jury investigation in an email we received yesterday.
Griego[], as a judge, has a charge and a duty to the People of NM and he has utterly failed in this duty. Additionally, he has violated the law and acted in a conspiratorial manner from his official judicial offices.If you have a problem with Judge Griego's continued disregard for the law and his position, the center asks that you drop by the Metro Courthouse Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. There'll be a petition available for you to sign and a sign for you to carry if you have a few moments to take part in a little protest activity.
The Constitution of the State of New Mexico allows the People, by petition, to convene a grand jury to consider indictment of an offiical for criminal behavior. In the absence of any real oversight in this state over misdeeds of the judiciary, it is time for the People to lawfully take this matter into their own hands and convene a grand jury regarding Griegos' actions. We do so under the New Mexico Constitution, Article II, Section 14 which states in part: "A grand jury shall be convened upon order of a judge of a court empowered to try and determine cases of capital, felonious or infamous crimes at such times as to him shall be deemed necessary, or a grand jury shall be ordered to convene by such judge upon the filing of a petition there[of] signed by not less than the greater of two hundred registered voters or two percent of the registered voters of the county, or a grand jury may be convened in any additional manner as may be prescribed by law."-Leslie Cumiford, President Center for Family Justice
