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FARMINGTON, N.M. – The New Mexico Department of Justice will not charge three police officers who arrived at the wrong home last year while responding to a domestic violence call and shot and killed the homeowner.
New Mexico Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Affairs Greer Staley said in a letter Friday to San Juan County District Attorney Rick Tedlow that three Farmington Police Department officers approached the wrong home. Despite this, the investigation revealed that the company acted appropriately as a result of the investigation. Photographed in April. The department said the officers did not use excessive force and should not face criminal charges.
Officers Daniel Estrada, Dylan Goodluck and Waylon Wasson shot and killed Farmington homeowner Robert Dotson on his front porch later that night as he responded to a domestic violence call from a neighbor. did. The officers responded to the wrong address and accidentally knocked on Dotson’s door multiple times.
When Robert Dotson opened the door with a handgun, officers said he pointed the gun and fired, killing him. After Robert Dotson’s wife, Kimberly Dotson, found her husband lying on the floor of her home, she picked up her handgun and fired at the officer, who also returned fire. The gunfight stopped without anyone being shot when Kimberly Dotson realized the men standing in her front yard were police officers.
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Report: Actions did not “foresee an unnecessary dangerous situation”
Staley’s letter to Tedlow said the department reached its conclusion after reviewing all available evidence, including police reports, witness statements, videos and photographs. The findings are also based on a report provided by Seth Stoughton, a former police officer and tenured law professor at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law.
Stoughton’s report found that three Farmington police officers did not use excessive force when they shot Robert Dotson or fired back at Kimberly Dotson. There is. The letter said it was determined that although the officers approached the wrong home, their actions did not “foresee any unnecessary danger.”
Additionally, Stoughton’s report states that after Robert Dotson opened the door, he raised his gun to a firing position and “posed an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm to the officers, and all three men could reasonably “He fired his weapon and acted within the range authorized by the police.” practices,” according to Staley’s letter.
Staley concluded his letter by saying the New Mexico Department of Justice’s review was limited to potential criminal charges and did not address potential disciplinary or civil liability issues.
Dotson family lawyer criticizes decision
Lawyers for Robert Dotson’s family filed a federal lawsuit in September against the city of Farmington and three police officers. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and alleges that the shooting of Robert Dotson was unjustified but unintentional, and that the actions of the three officers were extreme and unreasonable.
Mark Curnutt, one of three attorneys representing the Dotson family, issued a statement Wednesday criticizing the state Department of Justice’s decision on behalf of the Dotson family to USA TODAY Network’s Farmington Daily Times. emailed to. The statement specifically takes issue with Stoughton’s report’s finding that Robert Dotson raised a gun and pointed it at the officers after he answered the door.
“The already distraught family begins to process life in a town and state that believes the actions of Officers Wasson, Estrada and Goodluck were justified in ending Robert Dotson’s life,” the statement read. said. “Representatives of the Attorney General’s Office believe that the fact that Robert Dotson, a civilian, opened the front door of his home with a legally owned firearm posed an extreme threat that Professor Stoughton said was reasonable. Her office agreed with the analysis.”The three officers fired more than 20 shots at Mr. Dotson, who was never fired and who pointed his firearm at the officers.” Because it wasn’t even there. ”
The statement alleges that the report relies heavily on an initial investigation conducted by New Mexico State Police, raising concerns about the validity of information provided to the attorney general and stating that state police are investigating Robert Roberts. It points out that Dotson and Kimberly Dotson are referred to as “suspects.” ”
The statement went on to claim that the New Mexico Department of Justice did not conduct an independent investigation and only reviewed information provided by state police. State Department of Justice officials did not speak to or communicate with the family or law enforcement officers before making their decision, the statement said.
“At this time, the family is unable to comment on why the AG’s investigation was limited to document review only, given the bias in the NMSP report,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, the devastated family is not particularly surprised by this decision.”
The police chief said he agreed with the findings.
Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said he appreciates what the New Mexico Department of Justice said was a thorough investigation into the shooting and said he agrees with the findings. But Hebbe acknowledged that the discovery changed nothing for Robert Dotson’s family and was likely to cause further suffering, which he said he regretted.
“This makes it another tough day for them,” he said.
Hebbe said he spoke with one of the officers Wednesday morning and plans to contact the other two later in the day. He said the officer he spoke with, who did not give his name, was relieved by the state Department of Justice’s conclusion.
“(Officers and their families) have seen what has happened (in officer-involved shootings) in other communities across the country, so this is a welcome conclusion to the criminal portion of the investigation,” Hebbe said. he said.
Contributor: Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY
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