New Mexico Supreme Court Overturns Convictions In Fatal Child Abuse Case
NMSC News:
SANTA FE The New Mexico Supreme Court Thursday reversed an Albuquerque man’s convictions of child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse in the death of a 14-month-old boy in 2015.
A divided Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to support Christopher Garcia’s convictions of intentional child abuse resulting in death by endangerment through medical neglect. The Court unanimously overturned Garcia’s conspiracy conviction. Garcia was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional four years.
The Court’s majority dismissed both charges because double jeopardy protections prohibit a retrial when there was insufficient evidence to support the defendant’s convictions.