Special counsel appointed in Santa Fe deputy shooting case

Special counsel has been appointed to prosecute the case of a former Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputy whose first two trials in the killing of another deputy ended when juries couldn’t agree on a verdict.

Dona Ana County District Attorney Mark D’Antonio made the announcement Friday, saying two attorneys with New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance will work the case going forward.

D’Antonio said the new counsel will provide “fresh eyes and a rigorous prosecutorial perspective.”

The third trial of ex-Deputy Tai Chan is set for April 9 in Las Cruces.

According to testimony, Chan is accused of shooting fellow Deputy Jeremy Martin in the back as Martin fled during an argument at the hotel where they had stopped on a trip to transport a prisoner to Arizona. Chan has claimed self-defense.