BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Three Los Alamos Municipal Court cases recently appealed to the First Judicial District Court by local defense attorney William Snowden on behalf of three of his clients have been dismissed in the lower court by Dori Biagianti Smith, who serves as a contract prosecutor for the County.

As a result, Snowden has notified the District Court that because of the three dismissals, the issue on appeal is now moot and that he is withdrawing the appeals. The notices of withdrawal state that LAPD Chief Dino Sgambellone no longer resides on Municipal Judge Elizabeth Allen’s property. (See https://losalamosreporter.com/2024/02/10/municipal-judge-denies-requests-for-recusal-by-local-defense-attorney/)

The first case was dismissed without prejudice “because the County has determined that in interest of justice it should no longer proceed”. The notice of dismissal states that the defendant has successfully complied with the conditions of a “defense continuance” and has provided proof of such to the County.

The second case was also dismissed for the same reasons as the first case.

The third case was also dismissed without prejudice “because a pre-trial interview with the officer, (formerly of LAPD) was reset and at the second setting of the pre-trial interview, the witness failed to appear, which meant “the prosecution cannot move forward at this time”.