Last night I aired a report about pain and suffering and the absence of justice for New Mexico Veteran Nathan Gold. Gold served his country, but his hometown government failed to serve him. Here's my take:
Silence among public officials often speaks volumes.
Such is the case with Guadalupe County Sheriff Robert Chavez. His nephew, Marty Madrid, caused the crash last summer that resulted in the loss of Nathan Gold's left leg.
Last night I reported how Madrid's citation was dismissed and how Sheriff Chavez refused to talk about why. After all, it was the Sheriff's deputy (David Salazar) that failed to prosecute the case by not showing up to court. As a result, the citation for "failing to maintain a lane" was dismissed. Justice failed Gold in this case, even if it was just a 60 dollar citation.
Gold deserves more, especially after serving in Iraq as a soldier for two tours. I didn't have time to explain this in my report, but Gold once put himself between enemy fire during an ambush so fellow soldiers could escape. He was awarded the Bronze Start with a "V" designation for Valor.
The Sheriff's refusal to be open about a public case is pathetic. The Sheriff disregards his duties as a public servant by hiding from questions. It's obvious he doesn't care open government.
Any public official, responsible for the prosecution of a case, has a duty to speak to the public, or at least, explain why they can't at a particular moment.
This was a story that upset me deeply. I felt for Gold. His life has been put on hold as he painfully recuperates from the crash. His physical challenges, not to mention his mental challenges of losing a limb, will be a heavy burden for the rest of his life.
At least give the guy some answers Sheriff Chavez. Explain why your deputy didn't show up to court to prosecute your nephew.
I also didn't mention during last night's report that Marty Madrid is the son of Andy Madrid, the Guadalupe County Manager. Because the county manager didn't have anything to do with the crash, I felt it unnecessary to mention this fact (although I did receive several emails from viewers today reminding me of this).
In conclusion, the county government in Santa Rosa has an obligation and moral duty to protect Gold. Not only is he a veteran, he's a victim. Gold deserves to know why Deputy David Salazar failed to show up to court. Gold deserves much more than a "no comment."
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jeremyjojola.com
1 comments:
Gold should sue. It sounds like the "citation" was a bad attempt to possibly cover up negligence on the part of the Deputy's driving. It is sad to say that a Combat Veteran gets this kind of treatment in America. New Mexico is no place to get justice. I wish Mr. Gold the best of luck in his recovery and quest for the truth. There are probably a lot of good attorneys that would take a look at this case for free and or take the case to court on a contingency with nothing out of Mr. Gold's pocket.
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