Journal launches livestreamed Town Halls

The Journal on Monday kicked off a new, interactive Editorial Board format, allowing community members to actively engage with local leaders being interviewed by the board and reporting staff.

Members of the public asked questions, provided comments and even applauded at times during the Journal's inaugural Town Hall at the Ray Cary Auditorium at the Journal Monday night with Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.

"The Journal has long held Editorial Board interviews with public officials and candidates, where we question the officials at length, debate the issues, ask follow-up questions and hash out different parts of daily life in Albuquerque," executive editor Jay Newton-Small wrote in a Feb. 15 column explaining the new format. "The interviews would take place behind closed doors in a Journal conference room, and readers would learn about the meetings from an endorsement or editorial that followed. That's about to change."

Bregman, who is also running for the Democratic nomination for governor, agreed to be the first local leader whose Editorial Board interview was livestreamed and before an audience. He answered pressing questions about crime in New Mexico, while calling for increased punishments for juvenile offenders and the expansion of juvenile detention centers.

"This is not a victory lap and I'm not suggesting to you that it is a victory lap, but there are good things to talk about," he said following a 20-minute presentation of current Bernalillo County crime stats.

Bregman spoke about crime reduction in Albuquerque based on Albuquerque Police Department data, emphasizing the critical role behavioral health plays in resolving repeat crimes and "catch-and-release" concerns expressed by both law enforcement leaders and everyday New Mexicans.

Bregman, for his first Town Hall, asked that questions focus on his job as Bernalillo County district attorney, but that didn't stop some viewers and attendees from asking him about the gubernatorial race.

He addressed two questions from audience members regarding who he would appoint as district attorney if he's elected governor and whether he would commit to serving a full four-year term as governor.

"Yes," he emphatically responded to the question about serving a full term, while declining to speculate on whom he might choose as his successor.

One of the biggest focuses of the evening was the continuous struggle the state has with the rising rates of juvenile crime, which Bregman said was the one issue that keeps him up at night.

In a poignant turn of events, the parents of 17-year-old Jayden James Vallez, who was shot and killed at the Coronado Mall in 2021, attended in person and questioned Bregman on how the DA's Office is working to bring justice to those afflicted by gun violence. 

"What are you doing to bring justice for the victims and their loved ones?" asked Nanette Andazola, mother to Vallez. 

Bregman responded by expressing condolences to the family before talking about how the DA's office needs evidence to prove a case "beyond a reasonable doubt."

"Some cases unfortunately go unprosecuted because they go unsolved, but I hope everyone in the community knows that we will never give up on a case depending on the facts and the circumstances," Bregman said before touting the number of convictions the DA's office has secured in his tenure.

"Can you explain why you believe a juvenile who has committed a murder deserves a second chance?" asked Michael Andazola, stepfather of Vallez.

He and Nanette Andazola stood up inside of the Journal auditorium as she clutched her necklaces, one bearing the name of her son and another that had Vallez's fingerprint engraved into silver. 

Bregman said that many juveniles who are convicted of second-degree murder get out of jail within a few years and said he has been trying to change laws surrounding those issues for three years.

Bregman is expected to return for another Town Hall to answer questions about the gubernatorial race.

The Journal's next Town Hall will be March 25 with Republican gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez. Other candidates will be invited to Town Halls at a later date. For free tickets those interested can email editorialboard@abqjournal.com. 

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.