The Albuquerque district attorney filed on Monday murder charge against a SWAT team member and a detective for the death of a knife-wielding homeless man.

But in a move that aims to quell the growing anti-police sentiment across the U.S. due to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, the chokehold death of a black ambulant vendor in New York and the refusal of grand juries to file charges against the involved officers - which sparked violent protest - the DA changed strategies.

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District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said she bypassed the grand jury process and went to a judge instead. The preliminary hearing would be open to the public, which would contrast to the secrecy that marked the grand jury decisions for the deaths involving unarmed black men.

"Unlike Ferguson and unlike in New York City, we're going to know. The public is going to have that information," Star Tribune quotes the DA.

She filed murder charges against SWAT member Dominique Perez and former detective Keith Sandy who shot to death James Boyd, who was mentally ill and homeless. Boyd, 38, who was wielding two knives, appeared to be surrendering with the two cops fired.

However, Sam Bregman, lawyer of Sandy, insisted that the suspect is "unpredictably and dangerously close to a defenseless officer."

The Albuquerque police was already in the watch list of the U.S. Department of Justice for use of force even prior to the case of Boyd. The issuance of a harsh report against the police force prompted the Albuquerque officials to make available better training courses for officers and demolition of units with bad record.

Brandenburg has been at odds with the police department, and cops fear the murder case she filed against the two cops is her retaliation for a bribery case they filed against her because she offered a victim not to file charges against her son in another burglary case.

Tagsanti-police sentiment, Homeless MAn