Despite two orders from an obviously irked New Mexico U.S. District Court judge that the Reese family will be given a new trial and that father Rick and son Reese are to be released on bond, the pair remain behind bars this weekend because monitoring devices required by the order are not on hand, sources close to the case have confirmed to Gun Rights Examiner.
“Yes, bail money is good for now,” the source reveled, explaining “relatives, good friends and well-wishers have donated to the defense fund.
“They are waiting for the ankle monitors to get in for the release. United States Probation is getting them,” it was explained.
What this means is, the only reason the father and son have not already been released and must wait until at least Monday to be able to rejoin their family, is because those holding them are unable to comply with the judge’s order, and made no preparations anticipating the likely potential that a prosecution relying on suppression of evidence to win convictions might be overruled.
Rick and Ryin Reese are the last two members of a New Mexico gun dealer family jailed for allegedly knowingly selling guns to cartel members, but who were found not guilty on the most serious charges of conspiracy and had money laundering charges against them dismissed. They were convicted on a handful of lesser charges of making false statements on forms, basically under the presumption that they should have know federal agents were lying. Wife Terri was released on bond last year, and son Remington was cleared of all charges.
Judge Robert C. Brack is not the only one disturbed (and he was, and seriously as his opinion shows) by what he’s seen of prosecutorial misconduct. In a related development, California attorney Geordan Goebel, not involved in this case except as an outraged American, has written to New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich requesting an investigation for misconduct, and thus shown a way others can help shine a light on such abuses.
“I just read with alarm the U.S. District Court of New Mexico order granting a new trial in the U.S. vs. Rick Reese, et al. case,” Goebel wrote in an email Friday. “The court properly granted the defendants a new trial, finding the U.S. Attorney's office INTENTIONALLY [emphasis in original] suppressed evidence to obtain a conviction.
“The U.S. Attorneys are supposed to be the ‘good guys,’” Goebel continued. “The entire justice system will collapse if the citizens feel the system is rigged and government cheats.
“I urge you to immediately investigate and HOLD THE GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS RESPONSIBLE [emphasis in original] for this gross abuse of power,” he concluded. “These government attorneys should be disbarred and put in jail. I am writing to you because this is happening in your state, right now. Your personal intervention in this matter would go a long way to restoring trust in the criminal justice system.”
Those interested in joining Goebel in demanding an investigation into U.S. Attorney misconduct in this case can add their voices and contact both Senators Heinrich and Udall and Rep. Steve Pearce.
As for the immediate future facing the Reese family, they are still deeply in debt as the government has seized/frozen everything they own, and much of the money for the bonds was a loan. Add to that not only existing bills, but the legal struggle still ahead, and supporters say funding to help them go on is critical to their ability to defend themselves. Supporters advise those interested in helping can do so by contributing to the Reese Defense Fund, Attention Patricia Arias, First Savings Bank, 520 South Gold, Deming, NM 88030.
UPDATE: Jeff Knox of The Firearms Coalition advises they have set up an online donation page at their website.
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