beth mccann
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‘Stand strong’: Legal community speaks about importance of law, judiciary at Denver rally
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Lawyers and retired judges spoke on the steps of the Denver City and County Building on Thursday, joining their counterparts nationwide to rally in support of the rule of law and speak out about threats they see at the federal level. “This is really my first rally-protest since I was 23 years old. I’m now…
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Appeals judge slams Denver prosecutor for ‘Dexter’ references at trial
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One member of Colorado’s second-highest court criticized a Denver prosecutor on Thursday for repeatedly comparing a defendant’s actions to the television show “Dexter” during a jury trial. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals declined to order a new murder trial for defendant Joseph Alden Corey. The majority conceded the prosecutor’s references to a…
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‘Tough’ or ‘soft’ on crime? That framing misses the point, experts say | COVER
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Amid the often-polarizing debates over crime at the state Capitol, the officers and experts who actually deal with criminal cases on a daily basis argued that to judge Colorado based on whether it is “soft” or “hard” entirely misses the point. The goal, they said, is to strike just the right balance. Veer too far…
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Appeals court permits claim to proceed against 9News for security guard shooting
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Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday concluded 9News can be held liable for the actions of a security guard who accompanied a producer during an October 2020 rally in downtown Denver and ended up fatally shooting a man after a brief confrontation. At the same time, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals agreed 9News…
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Denver man receives one of the longest human trafficking sentences in state history
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A Denver man who abused and victimized women and girls in a human trafficking ring on Thursday received what’s likely the longest Colorado prison sentence for those crimes. Second Judicial District Judge Kandace Gerdes sentenced 44-year-old Robert Hawkins to 448 consecutive years in prison on 18 criminal convictions, including three counts of human trafficking. Prosecutors…
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Denver officer justified in suspect’s shooting death, DA says
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An officer who shot and killed a domestic violence suspect who law enforcement say stabbed a woman and used her as a human shield as police responded was legally justified, the Denver District Attorney’s Office has decided. One Denver Police Department officer fired once during the July incident, killing Chaz Gallegos, 33. Denver judge upholds…
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Appeals court overturns Denver murder conviction due to prosecutor’s misconduct
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Although a single improper statement by a prosecutor during trial will rarely lead to the reversal of a defendant’s convictions, Colorado’s second-highest court last week decided such an extraordinary consequence was necessary – overturning a man’s second-degree murder conviction and 48-year prison sentence. A jury convicted Cain Wilkens in 2018 of murdering his wife, Clarissa…
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Judge grants immunity to officers who killed, wounded vehicle occupants in car chase
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A late-night vehicle pursuit through Littleton, Englewood and Denver that left a driver partially paralyzed and a passenger dead has now culminated in a federal judge’s decision to grant immunity to the police officers involved. There was no caselaw, Rodriguez concluded, labeling the officers’ use of force unconstitutional “in the context of a car chase…
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What’s next for three Denver police officers who shot into a LoDo crowd: A grand jury primer
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Tuesday, Denver District Attorney Beth McCann made the rare decision to call a grand jury to investigate last month’s LoDo officer-involved shooting in which six bystanders were injured as they left bars at closing time. McCann said the grand jury was necessary because of the high amount of public interest in the case. Since this…
