Former Albuquerque Police Department officer Pablo Padilla didn’t say a lot after he came out of court after pleading no contest to aggravated battery."No comment, excuse me,” Padilla said.Padilla was accused of kneeing a University of New Mexico student in the groin and was sentenced to community service and unsupervised probation.Attorneys say UNM student Jeremy Martin grabbed Padilla's arm.The incident took place during a traffic stop in 2014, prosecutors said. Attorneys for the victim said he had to have surgery to remove a testicle.Padilla resigned in December and lost his law enforcement certificate.Padilla pleaded not guilty last September to aggravated battery. But before Tuesday morning's hearing, it was reported that he had decided to change his plea."Officer Padilla did what he was trained to do and that was employ a knee strike. It was very tragic and unfortunate that he missed and struck Mr. Martin in the groin,” defense attorney Erlinda Johnson said. “The victim really wanted to get this behind him so he could get started on with the rest of his life,” prosecutor Henry Baldez said.Padilla's attorney said the former officer hopes to regain his law enforcement certification someday and because this is a misdemeanor he can reapply in two years.Prosecutors said police can learn from the case and so can everyone else, by complying with an officer's commands.“Even if you don't quite understand why, or what they should be doing, you clearly have to be compliant with them,” Baldez said.Padilla maintains he didn't intend to hurt Martin. He will be on unsupervised probation for 364 days and will do 24 hours of community service as part of the plea deal.

Former Albuquerque Police Department officer Pablo Padilla didn’t say a lot after he came out of court after pleading no contest to aggravated battery.

"No comment, excuse me,” Padilla said.


Padilla was accused of kneeing a University of New Mexico student in the groin and was sentenced to community service and unsupervised probation.

Attorneys say UNM student Jeremy Martin grabbed Padilla's arm.

The incident took place during a traffic stop in 2014, prosecutors said. Attorneys for the victim said he had to have surgery to remove a testicle.

Padilla resigned in December and lost his law enforcement certificate.

Padilla pleaded not guilty last September to aggravated battery. But before Tuesday morning's hearing, it was reported that he had decided to change his plea.

"Officer Padilla did what he was trained to do and that was employ a knee strike. It was very tragic and unfortunate that he missed and struck Mr. Martin in the groin,” defense attorney Erlinda Johnson said.

“The victim really wanted to get this behind him so he could get started on with the rest of his life,” prosecutor Henry Baldez said.

Padilla's attorney said the former officer hopes to regain his law enforcement certification someday and because this is a misdemeanor he can reapply in two years.

Prosecutors said police can learn from the case and so can everyone else, by complying with an officer's commands.

“Even if you don't quite understand why, or what they should be doing, you clearly have to be compliant with them,” Baldez said.

Padilla maintains he didn't intend to hurt Martin. He will be on unsupervised probation for 364 days and will do 24 hours of community service as part of the plea deal.