A federal jury has convicted two former officers of the Jal Police Department for civil rights violations related to an incident in July 2021 that resulted in the death of an individual identified as John Doe. The trial lasted seven days, followed by approximately 13 hours of jury deliberation.
Court documents and evidence presented during the trial revealed that on July 31, 2021, Corey Patrick Saffell, a former officer with the Jal Police Department, stopped John Doe for driving without headlights at a gas station in Jal, New Mexico. Officers Ceasar Enrique Mendoza and Robert Edward Embly soon arrived at the scene.
The situation escalated when Saffell accused John Doe of using false identification. John Doe was handcuffed and forced into a small cage in Saffell's K9 unit vehicle while an aggressive dog barked nearby. When John Doe struggled to comply, Mendoza used his taser on him 13 times under Saffell's direction. Subsequently, they moved John Doe to Embly’s patrol car and tased him once more.
John Doe remained handcuffed throughout the encounter and did not attempt to flee or act aggressively toward the officers. After placing him in Embly’s vehicle, none of the officers monitored his condition as required after deploying a taser.
Upon arrival at the jail, officers dragged John Doe’s unconscious body into a cell without seeking medical attention despite clear signs of distress. Medical assistance was only requested after he stopped breathing and had no pulse. He was pronounced dead early on July 31, 2021.
Mendoza and Embly were each convicted on three counts: use of unreasonable force, failure to intervene, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs under color of law. They remain released under certain conditions pending sentencing where they face up to ten years per count.
Saffell pled guilty on September 10, 2024, to three similar charges: unlawful arrest, failure to intervene, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs under color of law. He also remains released under conditions awaiting sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin along with Raul Bujanda from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office announced these developments today.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with support from local police departments and sheriff's offices across New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Marisa A. Ong are leading the prosecution efforts.