Members of the Legislative Jurisdictional Commission held a meeting Tuesday in Ensenada and voted in favor of opening an impeachment procedure against three justices for the approval of lifelong retirement benefits.
Commission chair and Assemblyman Armando Reyes, a member of the leftist Workers Party, said the bill was approved by lawmakers to begin the process against the justices for violations of the Organic Judiciary Law that governs the Judiciary Branch.
The process goes against Chief Justice Jorge Armando Vázquez, Magistrate Justice Juan Salvador Ortiz Morales and Judge Raúl Luis Martínez, all members of the State Judiciary Council.
A notice was filed at the Assembly by three leaders of the Penal Lawyers Association of Mexicali to open the impeachment process.
Judiciary Council members approved a new retirement system that would have given them 100 percent of their salaries for few years and 80 percent after that period. The retirement benefits would have been inherited by justices’ widows after their deaths.
Former cop sentenced for kidnapping attempt
A former Mexicali police officer was sentenced to 43 years in state prison after a judge declared him guilty of kidnapping a woman over two years ago, said the Attorney General’s office.
Authorities said the judge also ruled Everardo “Doe” has to pay the equivalent in Mexican currency of $27,528 in fines and $359 for damage repair to the victim.
According to the agency a 21-year-old woman was stopped on January 28, 2014, by the former police officer at Uxmal Street at Colonia Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood, just west of the Civic Center.
The victim was driving a 2005 Honda Accord that was allegedly reported for drug trafficking.
The then-agent told the victim she was detained and about to be transported to the police headquarters.
The woman was then asked to park in an alley in order to wait for two federal officers who were going to interview her.
Two men arrived later and asked the woman to drive to the headquarters.
Blocks ahead a man in a white vehicle blocked her way and two men asked the victim to exit her automobile and get on board in another vehicle, authorities said.
After several minutes threatening the victim the suspects received a call warning them that the police was aware of the incident and were close to the site.
The suspects freed the victim but were arrested eventually.
Armed man arrested
A 39-year-old man was arrested Tuesday evening in possession of a firearm after ignoring a stop sign while driving, said the Municipal Public Safety Department.
Authorities said at 10:30 p.m. police agents arrested José “Doe” near the intersection of Argentina Avenue and Río Mocorito Street at Colonia Cuauhtémoc Norte neighborhood.
A K9 police unit observed the driver passing by the traffic signal and was immediately stopped.
After the police officer requested the vehicle’s registration documents the driver shown a nervous behavior, authorities said.
The suspect and the vehicle were inspected by police officers who found a 9-milimeter Germany Mak firearm loaded with three cartridges underneath the passenger seat.
The suspect was arrested and transported to the police headquarters.
Street rehabilitation delayed
The remodeled Gómez Morín Boulevard in southeastern Mexicali will reopen one month later than expected, a state oficial said.
State Secretary of Infrastructure and Urban Development Manuel Guevara said the Gómez Morín West Boulevard is 80 percent complete and will open again next month.
The 2-mile long rehabilitation project will cost 120 million pesos or $6.7 million in federal funds.
The state agency installed new storm drain collectors by drilling five yards and relocating water and sewer lines.
Guevara said the agency is working on the street’s surface.
The road would increase from two to three lanes per way that will allow an increase of vehicles in the area from 35,000 to 100,000 every day.
This is one of the most important public works projects in the city, he said.
