Enduring Legacies: Ethnic Histories and Cultures of Colorado

20: Running the Gauntlet: Francisco “Kiko” Martínez and the Colorado Martyrs

365 This case is one of the most frightening examples of the government ’s expansive power to use the criminal laws to torment a citizen for purely political and racist reasons. —Antonio D. Bustamante, Tucson attorney Mr. Martínez has endured a decade-long agony, in which he has successfully resisted the most scandalous and ill-motivated government misconduct that has ever disgraced the American judicial system. —Michael E. Tigar, attorney for Francisco E. Martínez Francisco“Kiko”EugenioMartínez,armedwithhisknowledgeof thelegalsystem and of the complex social, political, and economic conditions of Chicano and Mexicano communities, committed his professional and personal life to a struggle for justice for the community from which he came. Kiko’s political convictions would result in a battle to defend his beliefs, his family, and ultimately his life. The 1960s and 1970s were turbulent years in the United States. Historically marginalized peoples were mobilizing massive political and social movements. The Chicana/o, American Indian, and Black Liberation movements were increasingly frustrated by failed attempts at peaceful negotiation with the state and its various institutions; indeed, “they were violent times.”1 Running the Gauntlet: Francisco “Kiko” Martínez and the Colorado Martyrs 20 Adriana Nieto 366 Running the Gauntlet School dropout rates were at record highs among communities of color in the United States. Incarceration rates were rising, as were incidents of police brutality. Representation of these historically marginalized peoples’ interests was virtually nonexistent in the courtrooms and universities and in local institutions such as city councils and school boards. Civil unrest was prevalent, both throughout the country and internationally. These social movements were gaining widespread participation by all people who held the ideals of social justice, equality, and accountability. Confrontations between institutions and movement activists included demonstrations, sit-ins, walkouts, and boycotts . In was in this social, political, and historical context that Kiko Martínez’s story takes place. The history of Kiko Martínez and events surrounding his family and friends is made up of amazing stories that represent the experiences of thousands of Chicana/os and Mexicanas/os. Many of the historical events in this collection include major occurrences of violence, many of which resulted in the loss of lives and are mostly unknown to scholars of the times.2 Kiko’s story is not commonly referred to as a significant aspect of the Chicano Movement; many published overviews of the movement tend to overlook these events as side notes. The manuscript collection is crucial to add to the literature of the time to create a fuller and deeper understanding of Chicano Movement politics, individual activists, and community responses to state repression. In addition, this chapter seeks to provide a glimpse into the complex nature of the Colorado Chicano Movement by viewing Kiko and his struggles as symbolic of the experiences of large sectors of the Chicana/o and Mexicano/a communities. Kiko was born to José and Pauline López de Martínez on November 26, 1946, in Alamosa, Colorado. He graduated from Alamosa High School in 1964 and received degrees in business administration, anthropology, and sociology from Adams State College in 1968. As an attorney, Kiko combined his activist commitment with an acute knowledge of the legal system. He not only believed in social protest and civil disobedience, as was common during those years, but he also utilized his role as an attorney to fight for justice inside the walls of institutions. Early in his career Kiko served as counsel for victims of police brutality , including political cases such as defending Francisco Luevano against charges of disturbing the peace, made by the University of Colorado (CU) at Boulder. Luevano had participated in a demonstration at a speaking engagement by Henry González of Texas. Members of the student organization UMAS (United Mexican American Students) protested Gonzalez’s presence Adriana Nieto 367 because of his support for a Chicano administrator who authored documents that eliminated funding for Chicano programs at CU. Luevano was named an agitator by the CU police, the Boulder Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).3 Kiko’s decision to represent such politically volatile issues contributed to the ammunition the major news media used in portraying him as a “crusading attorney” and a “zealot.”4 Further fueling Kiko’s media image was his role in assisting inmates at the Colorado State Penitentiary. He filed the first in a series of lawsuits against the state...