“I love you mom” and go to bed.
By: Mike Morse
Tags: Defundthepolice, Criminal Justice Reform

I used to tell Juanito to come home every night at nine o’clock because I go to bed early, but he would wait and, Bang, Bang, Bang he would pound on my bedroom wall to wake me up. I would say, Juanito! Why do you do that? You’re going to break something one of these days. He would just hug me and say,

“I love you mom” and go to bed.

I went and got a doorbell so that Juanito would stop going Boom Boom on the wall, but now I don’t hear nothing.

“I hear nothing!”

These are the words of Margie Benavidez, mother of Juanito Archuleta of Chimayo, New Mexico. First reported by the Northern New Mexico Independent.

Juanito had died while in the custody of the Española Magistrate Court at the Tierra Amarilla county courthouse some two hours from Chimayo. As reported, Juanito had not been convicted of a crime, as one would be led to believe. I will let the news article speak for itself.

While Juanito passed at the T.A jail, it was judge Stephen Salazar who put him there for reasons beyond what anyone could consider dangerous. Incarceration is not a toy to play with just because you’re having a bad day or feel like getting your kicks in, although judge Salazar’s record proves otherwise.

Here in Northern New Mexico, we have traditions surrounding deaths. I can see my mom or grandma rushing to make consoling phone calls to friends and family followed by preparing meals so that the family was able to make arrangements. Typically everyone is in the loop about the cause of death, not to pry way but rather as a way to help be more effective in how we console.

Imagine now in a COVID year when you have none of that?

After I spoke to Ms. Benavidez yesterday, It became clear to me that she is as in the dark as we all are. Imagine spending a full month or more just shaking your head anytime you’re asked about Juanito; you’re only memories are his bruised body and last phone call.

Imagine getting that phone call. Imagine sitting there with absolutely no answers. Ms. Benavidez’s family does not all live in Chimayo, so she had to sit there and just know that her son had died, from what we have no idea. Nothing.

The failure by the court, city, Rio Arriba county sheriffs, and Rio Arriba county jail is sickening in its silence. What a disgraceful way to treat an elder in our community!

Where were the city and county when she needed them? They were ok with playing partisan politics were they not? Did anyone attempt to reach out to Juanito’s family?

Ms. Benavidez, we’re on it!

We’ll have answers as soon as possible, ma’am.

What can we do for you in the meantime?

While The Northern New Mexico Independent does show that mayor Sanchez expressed concern, that was in early October. That doesn’t cut it! Others in government only knew about this because of the reporting. What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is going on here?

The blame can go on and on here and has no political affiliation. We have county commissioners and a county manager for a reason and that is not to buy riot gear and campaign while a mother mourns a son.

Let’s not pin this all on politicians and judges though. For all of you who popped off with the same old shit of “well he should have followed orders.” Get a grip on reality, or better yet, humanity. I’m sorry and embarrassed for your mother too. Judge Salazar has the power to enact justice in more ways than the failed method of incarceration. It’s stupid to think that death in jail was an appropriate sentence for this warrant. In fact, there are laws against it, so who should have followed orders, now?

As of now our concern as a community has to go to Ms. Benavidez and her family as they mourn this avoidable tragedy. The palpable pain was apparent as she spoke to a complete stranger and “coyote” who spoke good Spanish, but “sounded like a gringo.” The answers and justice are all she wants. Don’t we all want closure? We should at a minimum grow a spine and demand justice for Juanito or forever suffer a fate of oppression because we’re just not politically connected enough.

“Now I hear nothing. I hear nothing!”