The spokesman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office is on administrative leave following an alleged domestic violence incident.
The Albuquerque Police Department says a criminal summons will be issued for Michael Patrick for the charge of battery on a household member. The alleged victim is his wife, KOAT-TV’s Shelly Ribando.
Police were called to the couple’s Northeast Albuquerque home Tuesday after a credit card agent on the phone with Ribando reported that she heard a scuffle and that Ribando said her husband hit her, a police report states. They were arguing because Patrick had used a credit card to get an apartment, and Ribando was trying to cancel the payment.
Ribando reportedly told responding officers that Patrick pushed her down and that he also pushed their 8-year-old daughter. Patrick denied the allegations, and his daughter also denied being pushed by him. Police said they did not observe any injuries on anyone.
The DA’s office in a statement issued Friday said Patrick “has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into (the) allegations.” The office also noted that APD would be making any criminal referral to an independent special prosecutor.
“This office will also conduct a thorough investigation into Mr. Patrick’s conduct and will make a separate determination about his future employment once APD has concluded its criminal investigation,” Adolfo J. Mendez II, chief of policy and planning, said in the statement.
