Lawsuit Filed Against Former Deming Police Officer, City of Deming, and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety
KVIA featured Marisa Ong, Senior Counsel at Singleton Schreiber LLP, in an article called “Lawsuit Filed Against Former Deming Police Officer, City of Deming, and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety,” published on February 16, 2026.
In the article, Marisa Ong is co-counsel for the plaintiff in a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Deming, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and former Deming Police Officer Jesus Lopez Jr. The lawsuit claims that institutional failures let the officer stay armed and certified even though he had a documented history of misconduct.
The case raises wider questions about law enforcement oversight and accountability, such as whether agencies responded properly to earlier misconduct and kept the community safe.
“This case is about institutional failure,” Ong said. “The City of Deming and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety allowed a known risk to remain armed, certified, and empowered. Their inaction enabled horrific abuse and placed an entire community in danger.”
