FireArm Friday: Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied!
“Two Years Behind Bars for Defending Himself”: New Mexico Man Found Not Guilty After Delayed Trial
(AmmoLand) - After spending nearly two years in jail, 31-year-old Francisco Javier Grado-Flores has finally been acquitted on all charges in a shooting case he claimed was self-defense. A New Mexico jury sided with Grado-Flores, finding him not guilty of murder, manslaughter, and weapons violations in the 2023 shooting death of his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend, Raul Rene Montejano Jr.
What makes the story even more troubling? Grado-Flores spent over 700 days behind bars waiting for a trial, largely due to bungled evidence handling by the Santa Fe Police Department and prosecutors.
What Happened?
In June 2023, Grado-Flores was at his girlfriend’s mobile home in Santa Fe when Montejano Jr.—the father of her child—showed up wielding a baseball bat. According to Grado-Flores, Montejano struck him in the head. Fearing for his life, Grado-Flores opened fire.
One bullet accidentally struck…