Judge’s ruling has consequences for spouse’s business

An Albuquerque architect who’s married to a state choose mentioned that his enterprise lease was terminated final week in response to a authorized ruling made by his spouse.

Stephen Leos, the husband of 2nd Judicial District Choose Cindy Leos, mentioned Thursday that he obtained a Sept. 23 electronic mail telling him that his lease was terminated and he wanted to be out of his Downtown workplace by Oct. 31.

When he sought a proof, property proprietor Doug Peterson advised him, “I’m terminating your lease as a result of your spouse lets out murderers and rapists,” Leos mentioned, recalling a Sept. 24 telephone dialog.

The remark was a reference to the Sept. 22 ruling by Choose Leos to launch a person awaiting trial for allegedly sexually assaulting two women at his house.

On the finish of the decision, Peterson mentioned, “I’ve over one million sq. ft of rental house within the metropolis of Albuquerque and I don’t want your type in my constructing,” Leos recalled.

Peterson, the president of Peterson Properties LLC, acknowledged that he had terminated the lease however declined to clarify why or to verify any particulars about his dialog with Leos.

“Stephen was on a month-to-month lease, so we may terminate it at any time,” Peterson mentioned Thursday in a telephone interview. “We gave him the correct discover and he must be out by Halloween.”

The termination of the lease coincided with a Sept. 23 put up on the Fb web page of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Workplace that recognized Choose Cindy Leos by identify.

Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzalez will face off Nov. 2 within the Albuquerque mayoral race towards Mayor Tim Keller and Eddy Aragon.

The BCSO Fb put up described the Sept. 16 arrest of Arthur Ruiz, 39, who’s accused of sexually assault two of his daughter’s mates, ages 12 and 13, and giving them alcohol throughout a June 6 sleepover at his South Broadway house, court docket data present.

“Since then, a movement for preventative detention was denied by Choose Cindy Leos,” the Fb put up notes.

Peterson was amongst 573 individuals who shared the put up.

“Choose Cindy Leos did it once more!” Peterson wrote within the put up he shared on his Fb web page. “They need to put her image on the little Get Out of Jail Free card within the Monopoly recreation.”

The BCSO put up prompted tons of of disparaging feedback about judges generally, and Choose Leos particularly.

“One other idotic liberal choose in New Mexico, say it’s not so,” one particular person commented.

“This choose must have a psych analysis. She doesn’t must be on the bench as a choose,” wrote one other.

Stephen Leos mentioned he has operated his architectural agency from the ninth flooring of the Simms Constructing for 5 years.

“I used to be meaning to be on this workplace for so long as I may till I had sufficient capital to buy my very own constructing,” he mentioned.

The termination of his lease is a significant disruption and expense to his enterprise at a time when his workload is selecting up.

Leos mentioned he spent $30,000 reworking the workplace to function the legislation workplace for his spouse when she was in personal apply. Stephen Leos has used the workplace for his architectural agency since his spouse was elected to the state bench in 2016.

When his lease expired final 12 months, Leos mentioned, he tried unsuccessfully to safe a brand new four-year lease and was by no means given an reason why he couldn’t receive one. He has leased the workplace month to month for greater than a 12 months.

The difficulty of releasing folks accused of violent crimes whereas awaiting trial has develop into a degree of friction between the courts and legislation enforcement that’s more likely to spill into subsequent 12 months’s legislative session.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham introduced her assist in August for a change to the state’s bail reform legislation that will require folks charged with violent offenses to indicate that they are often safely launched.

Second Judicial District Lawyer Raúl Torrez additionally mentioned he plans to push for laws that will require judges to lock up folks awaiting trial for sure violent crimes, together with homicide and prison sexual penetration.

Within the current case, Ruiz is charged with one depend of prison sexual penetration of a minor, two counts of prison sexual contact with a minor, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Following a Sept. 22 listening to, Choose Leos rejected a prosecutor’s request to carry Ruiz in jail pending trial.

“Defendant has some prison historical past and seems he has efficiently accomplished probation each cases wherein he was ordered to probation,” the choose wrote in her order.

“Though the allegations are regarding, the proof was not clear and convincing proof that there are not any circumstances of launch that might be carried out to guard the protection of others or the neighborhood,” she wrote.