LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — A judge on Wednesday dismissed all charges in the case of a former sheriff’s deputy who was charged in the shooting death of a fellow deputy in Las Cruces during what authorities described as an alcohol-fueled dispute.
Judge Conrad Perea’s decision to dismiss the case against Tai Chan brings an end to the longest-running murder prosecution in New Mexico history.
“The judge today ruled that the six-year prosecution of Chan violated Chan’s speedy trial rights, both under the New Mexico and U.S. constitutions,” said defense attorney John Day.
There have been at least six different attempts to prosecute Chan over the years, with two jury trials that ended in mistrials.
