Alexander M.M. Uballez U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
A federal jury has found two former officers of the Jal Police Department guilty of violating an individual's civil rights during a 2021 incident that resulted in the person's death. The conviction followed a seven-day trial and 13 hours of jury deliberation.
Court documents reveal that on July 31, 2021, Corey Patrick Saffell, then an officer with the Jal Police Department, stopped John Doe for driving without headlights at a gas station in Jal, New Mexico. Officers Ceasar Enrique Mendoza and Robert Edward Embly soon arrived at the scene.
The situation escalated when Saffell accused Doe of using false identification. Doe was handcuffed and forced into a small cage in Saffell's K9 unit vehicle while an aggressive dog barked nearby. As Doe struggled to enter the space, Mendoza used his taser on him 13 times under Saffell's instruction. Subsequently, Doe was moved to Embly’s patrol car and tased once more.
Throughout the encounter, John Doe remained handcuffed and did not attempt to flee or act aggressively towards the officers. After being placed in Embly’s vehicle, none of the officers checked on or monitored him as required after deploying a taser.
At the jail, John Doe was dragged unconscious into a cell while still handcuffed. Despite his deteriorating condition, no medical attention was sought until it was discovered he had stopped breathing and had no pulse. Life-saving measures were then initiated but were unsuccessful; John Doe was pronounced dead early on July 31, 2021.
Mendoza and Embly were convicted on three counts each for deprivation of rights under color of law: use of unreasonable force, failure to intervene, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. They remain released under conditions pending sentencing but face up to ten years in prison per count.
Corey Patrick Saffell pled guilty on September 10, 2024, to similar charges: unlawful arrest, failure to intervene, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs. He also faces up to ten years per count at sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office announced these developments today.
The case investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI Albuquerque Field Office's Las Cruces Resident Agency with support from local police departments and state authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Marisa A. Ong are leading the prosecution.
