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Former Las Cruces police officer's murder trial to start Monday

Christopher Smelser

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A fired Las Cruces police officer who put a suspect in a fatal chokehold is set to begin his murder trial next week.

KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports opening statements are scheduled for Monday in the trial of Christopher Smelser. The former officer is accused of causing the February 2020 death of Antonio Valenzuela. The 40-year-old Valenzuela fled a traffic stop after officers realized he had a warrant out on drug charges.

Body camera footage shows Smelser applying the chokehold and police realizing five minutes later that Valenzuela is dead. The state attorney general's office charged him with second-degree murder. Smelser's attorney called the charge a political move.