The Hollywood Video Massacre: Examining New Mexico's Criminal Justice Issues

Explore the tragic case that highlights New Mexico's ongoing struggle with criminal justice. Learn about the Hollywood Video Massacre, a brutal event that took place on March 3, 1996, resulting in the loss of five innocent lives.

Today’s case is an extremely sad and tragic case. This is one that stuck with me in my adolescence and I felt it was important to tell this story because it again illustrates how the state of New Mexico has been struggling with dealing with criminal justice issues for a long time. I keep saying that the issues of criminal justice in New Mexico are not new and this is another example that shows we have never been good at holding repeat offenders accountable for their actions. Jail and prison overcrowding have been constant issues for New Mexico and as a result law makers continue to try to come up with new methods for reducing the inmate population and it seems everything they have tried has only resulted in more crime.

For most people March 3rd 1996 would be a normal Sunday but for the employees of the Hollywood Video Store on San Mateo and Zuni in the Southeast of Albuquerque it was going to be a horrific and bloody night. Today I am taking you through a brutal case that resulted in the death of five innocent victims. This is the case of the Hollywood Video Massacre.

References:

Police report and Supplements

Harrison Appeal trial transcript

https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/14/us/early-release-pair-seized-in-5-slayings.html

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/metro/103689metro10-30-03.htm

http://nmcourts.gov

https://apnews.com/article/31463bdea2163502a36810ee32d7c4ba

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/metro/436896metro02-26-06.htm

https://apnews.com/article/b735576075242826a563ab56861fd442

https://apnews.com/article/31463bdea2163502a36810ee32d7c4ba

Nance, J. (2014). Reel to Real: The Video Store Murders. SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.