arapahoe county
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Colorado justices weigh potential race-based treatment for Arapahoe County murder defendant
The Colorado Supreme Court considered a convicted defendant’s argument on Thursday that Arapahoe County prosecutors unconstitutionally singled out him and another Black teenager for murder prosecutions as adults, while offering lenient plea deals to the two non-Black co-defendants. Lloyd Chavez IV, a student at Cherokee Trail High School, died in May 2019 after four teenagers…
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Arapahoe County conditionally approves Lowry Ranch fracking application
Arapahoe County conditionally approved another oil pad in the Lowry Ranch fracking plan that will go on State Land Board property near the Blackstone neighborhood in Aurora. The Secret Stash facility, from GMT Exploration Company LLC, was approved by the county’s Public Works and Development Department, the county announced in a news release Tuesday. It…
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Colorado justices concerned about blocking self-represented prisoners from pursuing claims due to lack of resources
When Jamale D. Townsell filed a petition from prison seeking postconviction relief, he argued his trial lawyer was constitutionally ineffective for failing to properly investigate DNA evidence that would have called his responsibility for a 2013 bank robbery into question. The state’s Court of Appeals rejected his petition, reasoning Townsell had not shown how the…
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Appeals court overturns assault conviction due to Arapahoe County prosecutor’s misconduct
Colorado’s second-highest court ordered a new trial on Thursday after concluding an Arapahoe County prosecutor’s improper commentary about a defendant’s constitutional right to silence undermined the fairness of his trial. A three-judge Court of Appeals panel acknowledged it was fair game for the prosecution to cross-examine defendant Dominic Jorge Martinez about inconsistencies between his trial…
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Arapahoe County celebrates digitization of all documents since 1861
After years of work, Arapahoe County is celebrating the digitization of all county records dating back 164 years. After the multi-year effort to digitize the county’s records, there is now a comprehensive database that preserves the county’s history dating back to its founding in 1861, including the earliest homestead records, and modern filings. Digitizing all…
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Appeals court reluctantly finds last-minute release of evidence by judge, prosecutor justified extension of trial deadline
Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday declined to find a defendant’s right to a speedy trial was violated, even as the appellate judges were disturbed that an Arapahoe County judge and prosecutor waited until the last minute to release 31,000 pieces of evidence to the defense. As part of the constitutional guarantee of a speedy trial,…
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Arapahoe County gives developer access to quiet lane used by cyclists, pedestrians
After months of controversy and “agonizing” over how to move forward, Arapahoe County Commissioners on Tuesday approved giving a developer access to a quiet road in Columbine for a new 55-plus community. Christensen Lane, a one-lane concrete street, currently sits quietly among tall trees, offering a peaceful place for cyclists and pedestrians to recreate and…
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Colorado justices decide shorter timeline applies to lawsuits alleging minimum wage violations
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that plaintiffs alleging their employer violated the state’s minimum wage law have up to three years to file a lawsuit and not, as the appeals court believed, six years. With Colorado’s Minimum Wage Act silent on the subject, the justices were confronted with two options: Justice Maria E.…
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Colorado justices tell Arapahoe County judge to reconsider disqualification of law firm from case
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday directed an Arapahoe County judge to reconsider his prior decision to remove a law firm from a civil lawsuit due to a conflict of interest. In an unsigned Sept. 8 order, the justices laid out specific issues the judge needed to examine before concluding that the work an attorney…
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Appeals court clarifies evidence safeguards apply to child welfare caseworkers
Colorado’s second-highest court clarified on Thursday that caseworkers testifying as experts in child neglect cases are subject to the same safeguards for reliability that other “specialized knowledge” testimony must satisfy. Under the rules of evidence, judges can deem a witness an expert by virtue of their knowledge, skills, experience, training or education. After being qualified,…