UPDATED: Statement From Nehemiah Griego’s Attorneys

Jeff Buckels and Lee Hood of the New Mexico Public Defender Department, who are representing accused teen shooter Nehemiah Griego, issued a statement this evening on the case. Here it is, in full:

“PRESS RELEASE (1/24/13)

RUSH TO JUDGMENT IN CASE OF NEHEMIAH GRIEGO

Nehemiah Griego is represented by the Public Defender Department of the State of New Mexico. The members of the Department join the Albuquerque community in extending their condolences to the Griego family, their friends and their church, as we all struggle with this tragedy.

There is danger of a rush to judgment. Day by day this week, the Sheriff’s Department has been speaking of a “massive” and “on-going” investigation, while parceling out very limited bits of the most damaging supposed “facts.” This has led directly to a multitude of sensational headlines that threaten to finish Nehemiah’s case in the public mind before it has fairly begun. But spokesmen for law enforcement are not only presenting selected, inflammatory fragments of “information.” They are also publicizing opinions concerning motive, judgments that the case is “beyond human reasoning or understanding,” and a theory that Nehemiah planned horrific acts of violence at “Walmart.” This theory is repeated and repeated even though Nehemiah appears to have had every chance to carry out such a “plan,” but did not.

These are early days. Much in-depth work needs to be done before anyone can speak meaningfully about Nehemiah’s mental state, motives or “plans.” This work must include the completion of the “massive and on-going” police investigation, the discovery of the entirety of that investigation to the defense, and a thorough and independent defense investigation. The defense will surely engage in extensive consultations with experts in the areas of mental health and the effects of violent video games on vulnerable boys. None of this work has been completed and nothing will be done in a 

day. It is far too soon to know the meaning of this tragedy, and far too soon to judge. This is the time for diligent inquiry and calm reflection. It is a very good time for restraint in public statements.

Jeff Buckels

Lee Hood

N.M. Public Defender Department”

Eric Griego, a former state senator and Albuquerque city councilor and the brother of one of five slain in the South Valley last weekend, broke his silence last night on HLN’s “Dr. Drew On Call.”

Griego’s nephew, 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego, has been charged with five counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death. Citing a confession Nehemiah Griego gave with no attorney or adult present, sheriff’s investigators say the teen killed his mother, his 9-year-old brother, his 5- and 2-year-old sisters and his father, 51-year-old former pastor Greg Griego in the family’s South Valley home early Saturday.

Here’s a snippet of the interview Eric Griego did with Dr. Drew Pinsky:

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/01/24/uncle-accused-new-mexico-teen-shooter-speaks

That clip doesn’t show other parts of the interview. But, according to local television reports, Griego questioned during the interview the potential role in the killings of his nephew’s 12-year-old girlfriend, with whom Nehemiah reportedly exchanged a series of text messages — including a photograph of 40-year-old Sarah Griego’s dead body.

Sheriff’s officials have said the girl is not facing any charges at this time.

The Journal asked for Houston’s response to the statements Eric Griego made to Pinsky. Here’s the full text of a news release the Sheriff’s Office issued this afternoon:

“In light of the recent tragedy that took the lives of five members of the Griego Family, Sheriff Dan Houston is understanding of the overwhelming grief of the Griego family. This tragedy has shocked our community as well as our nation. Out of respect for the Griego family Sheriff Houston has refused several requests for interviews including CNN, Good Morning America, and Piers Morgan. Eric Griego recently appeared on a nationally syndicated talk show, and as a result, the Sheriff has received new requests for interviews today in response to statements apparently made by Mr. Griego. Sheriff Houston stands by the facts as presented in the investigation of this horrific case. The Sheriff acknowledges that in the future it may be appropriate to discuss this matter but with pending funerals, this is not the time.”

Read the statement released earlier this week to local media by the Griego family here, and read previous Journal stories about the case and the Griego family here and here. And here is this morning’s Journal story on a prayer service held at Calvary of Albuquerque for the Griegos last night.