Judge: Inmate may keep breast-feeding child, with caveats
A woman may continue breastfeeding her infant daughter while imprisoned, provided she passes drug screenings.
Two correctional officers were recovering Thursday after being attacked by two inmates at the state prison south of Santa Fe, authorities said.
Both officers were assigned to a unit of the Penitentiary of New Mexico that houses high-risk inmates, New Mexico Corrections Department officials said.
Miles Conway, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union in New Mexico, which represents corrections officers, said both officers were treated and released from Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center.
He said the union is investigating whether the number of staff vacancies at the facility contributed to the incident.
“It definitely sounds like things got a little dicey for a moment,” Conway said.
New Mexico State Police, which is investigating the incident, said an inmate identified as Lorenzo Danny Martinez approached a corrections officer and distracted him around 10:20 a.m.
A second inmate, identified as Joe Angel Martinez, approached the corrections officer from behind, grabbed him around the neck and stabbed him in the back and head multiple times with a makeshift knife, police said. Lorenzo Martinez began punching the guard, police said.
A second officer attempted to intervene and suffered a laceration to his face from Lorenzo Martinez, police said.
A third officer fired several nonlethal rounds from a shotgun, which ended the attack.
Police said Joe Martinez is serving time for battery upon a peace officer, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence.
Lorenzo Martinez is serving time for aggravated fleeing law enforcement and two counts of battery upon a peace officer.
Police said the incident occurred in a unit that houses the Predatory Management Program, which involves violent inmates who have attacked corrections officers in the past.
Corrections officials said the two inmates involved were moved to a separate unit and that the facility was locked down.
“We have zero tolerance for such behavior by our inmates and we will pursue appropriate administrative and criminal actions against these two inmates,” said Corrections Secretary David Jablonski.
Gov. Susana Martinez said the state will pursue the harshest punishments possible.