Sun-News report
Posted: 07/02/2010 11:30:47 PM MDT
LAS CRUCES - A Las Cruces man originally facing a charge of murder in the death of his girlfriend has been sentenced on a lesser charge.
Christopher Michael Mata, 22, who was scheduled to go begin a three-day trial Tuesday, instead pleaded guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Third Judicial District Court Judge Stephen Bridgforth sentenced him last week to the maximum of 18 months in prison.
Noel Brown, 19, of Las Cruces was found with a gunshot wound to her abdomen at Mata's residence, in the 5700 block of Rexview Road, about 1:30 a.m. on April 28, 2009. Brown was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center, but later died.
"It was charged, in Magistrate Court, as an open count of murder because really, at that point, law enforcement didn't have all the facts to what happened," Deputy District Attorney Nelson Goodin said.
The evening of the shooting, Mata and Brown were allegedly drinking during a barbecue at Brown's apartment before returning to Mata's residence. They were getting into bed when a loaded Mini-14 rifle he kept nearby fired and struck Brown, Mata told police. Mata was legally drunk when his blood was drawn seven hours after the incident, Goodin said.
Mata told the court he was sorry for the incident, Goodin said.
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