Today is May 21, 2024, and here’s what you need to know:

Colorado ethics commission considers backtracking finding that ethics complaint is 'non-frivolous'

The state ethics commission made a significant move on Tuesday, attempting to reclassify a complaint accepted last October. This decision, following a public hearing in February, labeled the complaint, which alleged that a public employee paid herself more than $200,000 without authorization, as non-frivolous. The related documents were then posted to the public website, marking a crucial step in the commission’s process.

The ethics complaint, which was filed against the former San Juan Basin Public Health agency executive director, Liane Jollon, alleged that she received more than $215,000 in additional pay for which few records existed. The commission ruled in March that she was not a government employee as defined by the state constitution, a decision that has significant implications.

That ruling impacts anyone employed in a multi-county agency, such as the Regional Transportation District, the Denver Regional Council of Governments, any multi-county health agency, or others.

Two Denver councilmembers ask city attorney to drop charges against pro-Palestinian protesters

Two members of the Denver City Council have asked the city attorney to drop the charges against the roughly 40 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested for erecting an encampment on the Auraria Campus. 

And on Monday, activists confronted the council during the latter’s public comment session and also demanded that the city decide against pursuing charges.    

The protesters have abandoned the encampment, though officials expect the protesters to be back. During the encampment, officials had described escalating health and safety conditions at the campus, noting the presence of feces, drug paraphernalia, graffiti and vandalism in the area.

10th Circuit grants immunity to Aurora officers who killed machete-wielding man

The federal appeals court based in Denver ruled last week that four Aurora police officers committed no constitutional violation by shooting and killing a man with alleged mental illness who charged at them while holding a machete.

Initially, a trial judge green-lit the excessive force case for trial after determining a jury could find the officers contributed to the need to shoot Shamikle Jackson by failing to de-escalate the encounter or seek more information about what was going on inside Jackson’s apartment.

But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit concluded the officers’ actions were reasonable because the call Jackson himself placed to 911, plus the fact they could not see him until the last minute, justified the use of deadly force.

10th Circuit: Archuleta sheriff's officials committed constitutional violation by seizing home for 8 hours

An Archuleta County sheriff’s detective who barred a man and his family from entering their home for nearly eight hours without a warrant committed a constitutional violation that required the eventual evidence of a firearm offense to be thrown out, the federal appeals court based in Denver ruled on Tuesday.

Although Corban Josiah Elmore cooperated with first responders who assisted with his son’s drug overdose, Detective Patrick Smith asked other sheriff’s deputies to secure Elmore’s home. For several hours, Smith investigated Elmore for a potential crime while Elmore, his wife and their other child were kept out of the house.

A trial judge initially believed Smith’s seizure of Elmore’s home was constitutional at the outset and the detective reasonably — if slowly — spent the next eight hours in pursuit of a search warrant. But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit saw things differently, concluding that even if there was probable cause to restrict access to the home at the time of Smith’s command, the warrant should have arrived promptly.

In campaign to curb crime, Denver offers $1,000 retention bonus to young people who work this summer

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced on Monday three summer programs he said are designed to prevent city youth from becoming ensnared in crime and violence, including a bonus offer of $1,000 to teenagers who work more than 100 hours during the summer.

Another key part of the initiative is to fill young people’s summer with activities, the mayor said, arguing that employment keeps the youth away from crime.     

“If you are a student right now in high school around Denver, deciding what you want to do for the summer and realize you don’t have a plan, this is designed for you,” Johnston  said of the incentive program.