bias
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Federal judge declines to recuse from death penalty case after Supermax visit
A federal judge declined to recuse herself last month from a death penalty case arising out of Colorado’s “Supermax” prison, finding that her tour of the facility earlier this year did not bias her decision-making. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney is presiding over the federal murder prosecution of Ishmael Petty, who is accused…
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Appeals court rules anti-police bias alleged in jury deliberations is not basis for overturning verdict
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled last week that allegations of a juror’s anti-police statements during deliberations in a civil trial cannot trigger an inquiry into whether the juror’s bias requires a new trial. Generally, jurors cannot be made to testify about statements made during deliberations when a party challenges the validity of a jury’s verdict. There…
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‘Pink elephants,’ gum and bias: Colorado judges discuss courtroom conduct with lawyers
One member of the Colorado Supreme Court and a pair of trial judges spoke to lawyers on Wednesday about how to comport themselves in courtrooms at all levels of the judiciary, with advice ranging from nuanced lessons in cognitive bias to straightforward admonitions not to eat in court. “One of the things that happens in…
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Find the bias: Chief federal judge, lawyers talk about how to select a jury
For lawyers participating in jury selection in federal court, the key is to identify biased jurors, while also remaining conversational, taking notes, and paying attention to basic details. “It is a very frequent occurrence that I’ve clarified how the juror pronounces his or her name and the attorney gets up there and butchers it because…
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El Paso County man’s concerns of bias did not entitle him to forgo jury trial, appeals court rules
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled earlier this month that a defendant in El Paso County did not have the right to unilaterally choose a trial by judge, rather than trial by jury, amid concerns that jurors would not treat him fairly. Jonathan Yamar Best is serving 20 years to life in prison after a jury convicted…
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El Paso County man’s concerns of bias did not entitle him to forgo jury trial, appeals court rules
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled earlier this month that a defendant in El Paso County did not have the right to unilaterally choose a trial by judge, rather than trial by jury, amid concerns that jurors would not treat him fairly. Jonathan Yamar Best is serving 20 years to life in prison after a jury convicted…
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El Paso County man’s concerns of bias did not entitle him to forgo jury trial, appeals court rules
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled earlier this month that a defendant in El Paso County did not have the right to unilaterally choose a trial by judge, rather than trial by jury, amid concerns that jurors would not treat him fairly. Jonathan Yamar Best is serving 20 years to life in prison after a jury convicted…
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Federal judge finds no bias in CU-Denver student’s expulsion
A federal judge last week sided with the University of Colorado Denver, concluding a student failed to provide evidence his expulsion was the product of bias that infringed on his constitutional right to due process. Chadwick Jordan, representing himself, alleged CU-Denver denied him an impartial decision-maker in various disciplinary proceedings. Specifically, he believed David Steward,…
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Appeals court upholds convictions despite trial judge’s ‘inappropriate expressions of annoyance’
Colorado’s second-highest court upheld a man’s Arapahoe County convictions last month, despite voicing concerns about the trial judge’s confrontational behavior toward defense counsel. Brandon John Conlon stood trial in 2020 for three charges related to filing a false sexual harassment report against security officers. A jury found him guilty. During the trial, then-District Court Judge…