Basketbrawl trial begins Monday

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Sportsmanship is on trial beginning Monday.

On Feb. 15, 2005, Larry Archibeque allegedly struck law enforcement officers during a melee at a basketball game here between rivals Grants and Bernalillo high schools .

His case now comes to trial in Tierra Amarilla, a city in Rio Arriba County in Northern New Mexico.

The trial will be presided over by 13th Judicial District Judge George P. Eichwald. The trial, however, is being held in another district because a change of venue motion was granted by Eichwald, who is the third judge assigned to the case.

District judges have jurisdiction statewide, so it matters not where trials are held from their perspective.

Judge Camille Martinez-Olguin recused herself because she was at the game the night it happened.

Judge William Sanchez, from Los Lunas, was excused by the defense, resulting in Eichwald getting the case.

District Attorney Lemuel Martinez said his office will prosecute the case to its best effort, put on its evidence, examine witnesses and let the jury make its decision.

Archibeque faces three counts of battery upon a peace officer; resisting or evading a police officer; criminal damage to property; less than $1,000; and interference with an athletic event.

Jury selection
Jury selection is expected to begin Monday with opening arguments Monday afternoon or Tuesday, said Randolph M. Collins, deputy district attorney.

"The prosecutor from the Grants office will be Senior Trial Attorney Peter Robertson,"Collins said

Both Collins and Martinez said they expected the trial to last about a week.

Defense attorney Armando Torres has recently submitted names of more than 30 witnesses, Collins said.

Archibeque, 48, of 404 Maryhill, Bernalillo, allegedly became involved in an incident that resulted in a melee when Grants High School students approached the visitor's section and began taunting the crowd at the end of the third quarter during the basketball game.

Bernalillo was being trounced by Grants 70-33 at that point.

Arrest made
New Mexico State Police Officer Mike Cruz arrested Archibeque after he allegedly injured three Grants police officers while resisting attempts to remove him from the GHS gymnasium.

Cruz stated in his police report on he incident that he observed a deputy sheriff approach Archibeque after he allegedly threw water at game officials and police officers.

Archibeque's wife had been escorted out of the gymnasium prior to the water incident and several people were pointed out to be removed by the referees, according to the report.

Cruz stated Cibola County Deputy Sheriff Tony Mace approached Archibeque in the stands and asked him to leave and Archibeque refused.

Mace then tried to remove him by force and Archibeque resisted, according to Magistrate Court records

Cruz then approached Archibeque and tried to use a restraint technique on him, assisted by Grants Police Lt. Mike Trujillo and Officer Monica Porter, court records state.

Archibeque struck Porter in the face with his fist and Trujillo sustained a dislocated elbow and a cut requiring stitches in the emergency room at Cibola General Hospital, according to court records.

Mace sustained a right sprained ankle and Cruz was struck in his upper left chest area, causing his uniform to tear, court records state.

No prior major incidents in games
Fred Radosevich, former Grants Police Chief who is the police chief in Bernalillo, said at the time of the incident, while he was in Grants for 16 years, there were a few problems in games between Bernalillo and Grants in the 1990s, but nothing this serious.

Before the Bernalillo team left GHS, it trashed the girls locker room breaking benches and a window, court records state.

A couple of days later, following a special, closed to the public meeting by officials from both school districts and the New Mexico Activities Association, the high school sports governing body in New Mexico, NMAA Communications Coordinator Robert Zayas told the Independent all future district playoff and championship games for 3A level schools, such as Grants and Bernalillo, will be held at neutral sites, to be fair to all the teams. Grants is now a 4-A school for athletics.

There will be no new rules or procedures to try to prevent this type of occurrence from happening again, from the NMAA, he said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com.