A former Las Cruces police officer, Brad Lunsford, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday in the 2022 fatal shooting of Presley Eze, a Black man, during a confrontation at a local gas station, The Associated Press reports.
Lunsford, who is white, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The verdict, delivered by a jury, is the latest in a series of cases where prosecutors have alleged systematic brutality against Black individuals by law enforcement. The case has drawn comparisons to other high-profile incidents, including the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
According to prosecutors, the incident unfolded after police responded to a 911 call from a gas station attendant who reported that Eze had stolen beer. A struggle ensued, during which Eze allegedly placed his hand on a second officer’s stun gun before Lunsford shot him at close range.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez argued that the use of deadly force was unreasonable, emphasizing that Lunsford immediately drew his weapon and shot Eze in the back of the head.
“Today’s verdict reaffirms a fundamental principle: no one is above the law — not even those sworn to uphold it. Officer Lunsford’s actions were not just a tragic lapse in judgment; they were an egregious abuse of power that cost Presley Eze his life,” Torrez said in a statement following the verdict.
Lunsford’s attorney, Jose Coronado, indicated that he will request the judge to review the verdict for legal sufficiency.
The charge of voluntary manslaughter with a firearms enhancement carries a potential prison sentence of up to nine years. The trial included evidence from police body camera video, which showed officers removing Eze from a vehicle and the subsequent struggle.
Attorney General Torrez described Eze’s death as a tragedy and “yet another example of poor police tactics resulting in an unjustifiable use of force to subdue an individual resisting arrest for the commission of a minor crime.” He also noted that more than 900 fatal shootings by on-duty state and local law enforcement officers typically occur each year in the U.S.
