Man accused of murder in Santa Fe asks judge to halt death penalty case

Man accused of murder in Santa Fe asks judge to halt death penalty case

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico man accused of shooting and killing an elderly man during a carjacking in Santa Fe wants his death penalty case to be halted because of the government shutdown. Suspicious death at hotel in Santa Fe ruled a homicide, police say Zachary Babitz and his attorneys are asking the feds to halt his death penalty case, citing the shutdown and a lack of funding for a specialized defense since death penalty cases…