aclu
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Appeals court says prohibition on involuntary servitude not applicable to prison labor
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Colorado voters who made slavery and involuntary servitude unconstitutional in 2018 did not mean to abolish the state Department of Corrections’ prison labor program, the Court of Appeals ruled last week. A three-judge panel for the appellate court turned away the constitutional challenge of inmate A. Mark Lamar, who argued the general requirement that prisoners…
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‘At last – finally’: Civil liberties advocates celebrate recognition of right-to-record
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Civil liberties advocates are celebrating the Denver-based federal appeals court’s decision this week to recognize the First Amendment protects the right to publicly record law enforcement officers, even while scratching their heads at some of the reasoning the court employed to reach its conclusion. “All right, at last. Finally,” said Mark Silverstein, legal director of…
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Q&A with Mark Silverstein | Three decades advocating for civil liberties in and out of court
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FAST FACTS: Mark Silverstein has worked for the American Civil Liberties Union for 31 years, including as the legal director since 1996 for the ACLU of Colorado He has announced his retirement from the organization, but will remain as the legal director emeritus Silverstein helped file cases challenging immigrant detention policies in El Paso County,…
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Mark Silverstein, legal director of ACLU of Colorado, to retire
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After more than three decades working with the ACLU of Colorado, Mark Silverstein announced Wednesday he will retire as legal director of the civil liberties nonprofit. Silverstein, 72, has worked as an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union for 31 years and was named legal director of the Colorado branch in 1996. Silverstein said…
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10th Circuit overturns injunction on Denver’s homeless sweeps
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By a 2-1 decision, the federal appeals court based in Colorado overturned a judge’s injunction that directed the City and County of Denver to provide ample notice of encampment “sweeps” to homeless residents. The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit decided that the plaintiffs in the case – Denver…
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Court recommends dismissing claims against top Mesa County judge for prolonged detention
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A federal magistrate judge recommended dismissing the claims against Mesa County’s top judge over his alleged role in a woman’s two-week detention without bail, a right guaranteed in Colorado’s constitution. At the same time, U.S. Magistrate Judge Nina Y. Wang on Jan. 27 recommended against dismissing one of Michelle Reynolds’ constitutional claims against the sheriffs of…
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Colorado’s justices skeptical of El Paso sheriff’s assertion of immunity
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Some members of the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared unwilling to accept the idea that El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder could not be held liable for keeping a man jailed for nearly four months after he posted bond. The lawsuit brought by Saul Cisneros against the top law enforcement official of Colorado’s most…
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Judge suggests mediation in Denver jail lawsuit, while detainees allege insufficient COVID protocols
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A federal judge on Tuesday encouraged the City and County of Denver and lawyers for a group of detainees to hire a mediator, while at the same time indicating he would promptly consider any emergency requests in the proposed class action lawsuit alleging a failure to implement COVID-19 protocols in the Denver jail. U.S. District…
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ACLU demands 31 Colorado cities repeal anti-panhandling laws
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Tuesday announced they have sent letters to 31 cities in Colorado, demanding those cities repeal laws that restrict or ban panhandling. According to an ACLU statement, the letters are part of a nationwide effort to target cities in 12 states that ban or restrict panhandling. The ACLU letter went…
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Colo. county agrees to pay jailed woman $60,000 in ACLU lawsuit, $130,000 to others
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El Paso County agreed to a settlement on Tuesday that will award $60,000 to woman who was kept in jail for nearly a month because she couldn’t pay a $55 release fee. It also agreed to pay up to $130,000 more to others who spent extra time in jail in similar situations. County commissioners on…
