The Latest: New Mexico lawmakers seek to reinstate the death penalty

he New Mexico House of Representatives is starting committee deliberations on three criminal justice bills designed to expand mandatory sentences and reinstate the death penalty.

The Republican-controlled House focused its first policy discussion of a special legislative session on the tough-handed reforms backed by Gov. Susana Martinez. The bills were filed partly in response to the recent killings of two police officers and the horrific sexual assault and killing 10-year-old Victoria Martens in Albuquerque.

Democrats say the anti-crime initiatives are being used to distract public attention away from economic issues and the state budget shortfall, the other topic of the special session.

Republicans want to expand New Mexico’s three-strikes law requiring a life sentence for criminals with three or more violent felony convictions and require mandatory life sentences for people convicted of intentional child abuse resulting in death, regardless of a child’s age. The death penalty proposal would apply to convicted killers of police, children and corrections officers.