2026年8月14日 美国东部时间早上6:00 / 福克斯新闻
由加文·纽瑟姆2024年任命的尼切尔·霍尔姆斯，在马科斯·伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯杀人案前将其具结释放
作者：伊莱恩·马伦、查尔斯·克赖茨，福克斯新闻
委内瑞拉非法移民、有前科的马科斯·伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯涉嫌刺杀68岁的托德·斯图尔特致死后，舆论焦点转向加州颇具争议的庇护政策。
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这名加州法官此前曾在接受母校旧金山大学法学院采访时表示，司法有时可能意味着“撤销指控”。她曾因入室盗窃罪逮捕一名委内瑞拉国民，之后尽管对方违反了居家监禁条款，仍允许其继续接受审前居家监管。
就在 Contra Costa 高等法院法官尼切尔·霍尔姆斯撤销对委内瑞拉国民马科斯·伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯的指控的次日，他被指控在试图实施另一桩入室盗窃案时刺杀另一名男子致死。
68岁的托德·斯图尔特在自己居住了30多年的住宅外遇害，此事重新引发了人们对法官在释放屡犯刑事罪犯时拥有自由裁量权的审视。与此同时，共和党领导人批评“庇护”政策，称这些政策使联邦移民执法官员难以履职，并将公众置于危险之中。
霍尔姆斯由民主党州长加文·纽瑟姆于2024年任命至Contra Costa高等法院，她在2024年8月5日下令，拥有西班牙公民身份的委内瑞拉国民伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯具结释放。国土安全部在一则社交媒体帖子中称伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯为“非法外籍人士”，但随后又表示他2007年是“合法入境”美国的。国土安全部未立即回应福克斯新闻数字频道就其移民身份置评的请求。
致命医院刺杀案令纽瑟姆在ICE拘留权斗争中面临压力
Contra Costa高等法院法官尼切尔·霍尔姆斯在发现马科斯·伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯违反居家监禁条款后，仍允许其获释。次日，他便被指控刺杀托德·斯图尔特致死。（纽瑟姆州长办公室 / KTVU电视台）
霍尔姆斯允许伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯获释的裁决，与她2017年接受母校旧金山大学法学院采访时的表述一致。当时她表示，自己作为Contra Costa县副地区检察官的工作，是她对抗司法系统中的不公和种族差异的方式。
“每天上班并确保正义得到伸张，就是我的抗议方式，”霍尔姆斯说道。“正义并不总是意味着监禁。有时它意味着治疗项目或强化辅导，有时则意味着撤销指控。”
霍尔姆斯透露，她选择成为一名地区检察官而非辩护律师，是因为她认为受害者也需要发声。
“在刑事司法程序中 navigating 可能令人望而生畏，只会加剧犯罪受害者的压力和创伤，”霍尔姆斯说道。“我选择为受害者发声，成为他们的代言人，让这个程序稍微轻松一些。我选择让我的社区对所有人来说更安全。”
“我选择确保宪法在各方都得到遵守，”霍尔姆斯继续说道。“我选择成为解决方案的一部分。”
加州母亲抨击纽瑟姆支持的“转处项目”，该项目似乎让杀害她儿子的凶手受益
据警方消息，36岁的马科斯·伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯因涉嫌刺杀托德·斯图尔特致死，于周五晚间被捕。（KTVU电视台）
在被任命为Contra Costa高等法院法官之前，霍尔姆斯于2012年2月至2024年4月担任Contra Costa县副地区检察官。
作为副地区检察官，霍尔姆斯经办了涉及性侵犯、家庭暴力、儿童 trafficking 和社区暴力的敏感案件。她在该县的家庭暴力部门工作了四年，之后任职于社区暴力减少部门。
她于2010年毕业于旧金山大学法学院，1990年毕业于斯佩尔曼学院。
一些州议员对这位法官的做法和萨克拉门托的庇护政策感到愤怒。州众议员戴维·坦吉帕（R-弗雷斯诺）周四告诉福克斯新闻数字频道，斯图尔特“本应今天还活着”。
“如果我们只是执行现行法律，这起谋杀案100%是可以避免的，”坦吉帕说道。
“但纽瑟姆州长糟糕的庇护法律和激进法官正在导致美国人死亡。加州人理应拥有一个首先保护无辜美国人的司法系统。”
加文·纽瑟姆州长于2026年8月7日在加州奥克兰的桥厂设施出席活动，谈论加州汽车买家的新储蓄政策以及该州清洁能源未来的一个重要里程碑。（阿纳多卢通讯社/盖蒂图片社）
纽瑟姆办公室的一位发言人未就霍尔姆斯在伊利亚尔特-巴尔德斯违反居家监禁条款的情况下仍将其释放的具体决定置评。相反，这位发言人表示，他应为斯图尔特的遇害负责。
“这名个体应为其涉嫌的罪行接受正义审判，”这位发言人说道。“加州重视公共安全，加州法律中没有任何条款阻止联邦当局执行联邦移民法。联邦政府拥有数十亿美元和大量资源来执行联邦法律——他们应该履行自己的职责，而不是将ICE的执法失败归咎于加州。”
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Newsom-appointed judge who freed migrant before fatal stabbing said justice ‘sometimes means a dismissal’
August 14, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News
Nichelle Holmes, appointed by Gavin Newsom in 2024, released Marcos Iriarte-Valdez on his own recognizance before the killing
By Elaine Mallon, Charles Creitz, Fox News
Focus turns to California’s controversial sanctuary policies after Venezuelan national Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, an illegal immigrant with a prior arrest record, allegedly stabbed 68-year-old Todd Stewart to death.
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The California judge who released a Venezuelan national arrested for burglary — and later allowed him to remain in pretrial home detention despite his violation of its terms — had previously said that justice can sometimes mean “dismissal” in an interview with her alma mater, the University of San Francisco School of Law.
The day after Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Nichelle Holmes dismissed Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, a Venezuelan national, he was accused of stabbing another man to death while attempting another burglary.
The killing of Todd Stewart, 68, outside his home of more than 30 years has renewed scrutiny of judges’ discretion in releasing repeat criminal offenders. It also comes as Republican leaders criticize “sanctuary” policies that they say make it difficult for federal immigration enforcement agents to do their jobs and put the public at risk.
Holmes, who was appointed to Contra Costa Superior Court by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., in 2024, ordered on Aug. 5, 2024, that Iriarte-Valdez, a Venezuelan national who holds Spanish citizenship, be released on his own recognizance. The Department of Homeland Security called Iriarte-Valdez an “illegal alien” in a social media post, but later said he was “legally admitted” to the U.S. in 2007. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on his immigration status.
DEADLY HOSPITAL STABBING PUTS NEWSOM UNDER PRESSURE OVER ICE DETAINER FIGHT
Contra Costa Superior Judge Nichelle Holmes permitted Marcos Iriarte-Valdez to be released after he was found to have violated the terms of his home detention. The following day, he allegedly stabbed to death Todd Stewart.(Governor Newsom’s office / KTVU-TV)
Holmes’ ruling to allow Iriarte-Valez to walk free aligns with an interview that she gave to her alma mater, the University of San Francisco School of Law, in 2017, in which she claimed that her work as then-deputy district attorney of Contra Costa County is her way of fighting against injustices and racial disparities in the justice system.
“Coming to work every day and ensuring that justice is served is my way of protesting,” Holmes said. “Justice does not always mean a prison sentence. Sometimes it means a treatment program, or intensive counseling, and sometimes it means a dismissal.”
Holmes shared that she decided to become a district attorney as opposed to a defense attorney because she said victims need a voice too.
“Navigating through the criminal justice process can be daunting and only add to the stress and trauma of being a crime victim,” Holmes shared. “I choose to advocate for the victims and be their voice to make the process just a little easier. I choose to make my community a safer place for everyone.”
“I choose to ensure that the Constitution is upheld on all sides,” Holmes continued. “I choose to be a part of the solution.”
CALIFORNIA MOM RIPS NEWSOM-BACKED ‘DIVERSION PROGRAM’ THAT APPEARS TO BENEFIT HER SON’S KILLER
Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, 36, was arrested Friday evening in connection with the stabbing death of Todd Stewart, according to police.(KTVU-TV)
Prior to her appointment to Contra Costa Superior Court, Holmes served as the deputy district attorney for Contra Costa County from February 2012 to April 2024.
As deputy district attorney, Holmes prosecuted sensitive cases centered on sexual assault, domestic violence, child trafficking and community violence. She worked four years in the county’s Domestic Violence Unit and was in the Community Violence Reduction Unit.
She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2010 and previously graduated from Spelman College in 1990.
Some state lawmakers fumed over the judge’s behavior and Sacramento’s sanctuary policies, with Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, telling Fox News Digital on Thursday that Stewart “should be alive today.”
“This murder was 100% preventable if we just enforced the laws currently in place,” Tangipa said.
“But Governor Newsom’s garbage sanctuary laws and activist judges are leading to the death of Americans. Californians deserve a justice system that protects innocent Americans first.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during an event about new savings for California car buyers and a major milestone in the state’s clean energy future at the Bridge Yard Facility in Oakland, California, on Aug. 7, 2026.(Anadolu via Getty Images)
A spokesperson from Newsom’s office did not comment on Holmes’ specific decision to release Marcos Iriarte-Valdez despite violating the terms of home detention. Instead, the spokesperson said he should be held responsible for the killing of Stewart.
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“This individual should face justice for his alleged crime,” the spokesperson said. “California takes public safety seriously, and nothing in California law prevents federal authorities from enforcing federal immigration law. The federal government has billions of dollars and substantial resources to enforce federal law — they should do their job instead of blaming California for ICE’s enforcement failures.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Holmes for comment.
Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.