Family of Farmington man killed by police demands justice

FARMINGTON, N.M. — The family of Robert Dotson, who was shot and killed by Farmington police after they responded to the wrong home, is calling for the officers to be charged with second-degree murder and the police chief to resign.

The legal team for the family and estate of Dotson held a news conference Thursday to outline their calls for justice. The legal team consists of attorneys Shon Northam and Mark Reichel.

“We are calling for the resignation of the police chief based on the obvious malfeasance in running the department. We also demand the city council investigate the extensive amount of excessive force claims against the police department, and in fact, corruption within the department to cover up their constant malfeasance,” Northam said.

Northam will make a request for San Juan District Attorney Robert Tedrow and New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez to bring criminal charges of second-degree murder against the officers involved in the case.

Reichel is requesting the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to bring federal charges against the officers involved for federal civil rights violations.

A website has also been created for updates in the case.

The Farmington Police Department shared the following statement Thursday:

The Farmington Police Department wants to emphasize that the events of April 5th are part of an ongoing investigation. Our department is committed to cooperating with the New Mexico State Police for a thorough and fair investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Dotson’s death.

It is important to let the legal process take its course and not draw conclusions before all the facts are known. We will continue to cooperate with the appropriate agencies and provide updates to the public as the investigation progresses. We will continue to work with transparency and integrity.