The Denver Post editorial: Hickenlooper should commute Nathan Dunlap’s sentence and lead on death penalty debate
If Colorado’s courts won’t allow Nathan Dunlap’s legal team to lobby Gov. John Hickenlooper for the life of their client, we’ll do it for them.
Hickenlooper — as we’ve said before — should commute Dunlap’s death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As Hickenlooper noted when he granted Dunlap a temporary reprieve from his August 2013 execution date, the death penalty “has not been fairly or equitably imposed.” We praised the governor’s political courage to spare Dunlap’s life, despite polling that showed Colorado voters supported the killer’s execution and the continued use of the death penalty.
The governor also promised at the time, however, to lead a statewide conversation about the death penalty.
Arapahoe County law enforcement improperly obtained confidential medical records, justices find
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 13 minutes ago
Law enforcement in Arapahoe County improperly obtained a criminal defendant’s confidential medical records and cannot use them in her child abuse prosecution, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday. The justices also declined to say whether the body-worn camera footage...
47th Citizen of the West: ‘Epitome of Western traditions and values’
Joanne Davidson Special to Colorado Politics
joanne-davidson-special-to-colorado-politics@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
The 47th Citizen of the West, George Eidsness, may have grown up on a farm in North Dakota where his appreciation for the Western way of life took shape as he rode horses, showed cattle in 4-H and shared in the often back-breaking chores necessary to maintaining a farm. It was that hard work and a...
Colorado lawmakers grapple with how to help economy amid budget constraints
Bernadette Berdychowski
bernadette.berdychowski@denvergazette.com
Updated 9 minutes ago
As Colorado slipped in its economic competitiveness over the past few years, state lawmakers face a tough road ahead to improve the business environment. A day before the 2026 legislative session was set to begin, the Denver Metro Chamber of...
A new governor, a restored past: Renovations of the Capitol office near completion
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
State to honor legendary photographer John Fielder with a new 150th anniversary postage stamp When Colorado voters elect a new governor this November, the incoming administration will step into an office that looks far more like it did in 1895....
Kenny Nguyen selected to represent Colorado House District 33
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 42 minutes ago
Kenny Nguyen, a member of the Broomfield City Council, was chosen by a 36-member Democratic vacancy committee on Monday to represent House District 33. Nguyen will replace Sen. William Lindstedt, who was appointed by Gov. Jared Polis last week to...
Denver, Aurora and Colorado Springs mayors list competency, AI among priorities for legislative session
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 47 minutes ago
The mayors of Colorado’s three largest cities — representing a combined population of about 1.5 million — are urging state lawmakers to tackle some of their communities’ most pressing challenges in the upcoming legislative session, notably in the areas of...
Clintons refuse to testify in House Epstein probe as Republicans threaten contempt proceedings
Stephen Groves
stephen.groves@associatedpress.com
Updated 7 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that they will refuse to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a House committee’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. The Clintons, in a...
Colorado justices rule Larimer County judge wrongly denied competency second opinion to defendant
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 24 hours ago
The Colorado Supreme Court determined on Monday that a Larimer County judge had no choice but to permit a doctor to give their second opinion on a criminal defendant’s competency to proceed, even though he had received numerous such evaluations...
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser clash at Democratic gubernatorial forum
Ernest Luning
ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 1 hour ago
Things got a little chippy Saturday at a union hall north of Denver, as Democratic gubernatorial candidates U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sparred over the effectiveness of their respective responses to President Donald Trump’s second...
Colorado justices clarify procedure for defendants to access DNA analyst’s criminal file
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 23 hours ago
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that trial judges may order Jefferson County prosecutors to disclose information related to the criminal prosecution of a DNA analyst accused of misconduct, but defendants seeking those files cannot rely on the order...