civil rights
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Federal judge deems Jeffco’s appeal ‘frivolous’ in jail death case
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A federal judge declared Jefferson County’s appeal of his evidentiary decision “frivolous” on Thursday, which enables him to continue handling the civil rights litigation even as an appellate court separately addresses the appeal. The order from U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews came three days after a hearing in which the plaintiffs’ attorney warned…
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‘Utterly no precedent’: Federal judge expresses concerns about Jeffco’s early appeal in jail death case
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A federal judge shared his concerns on Monday about Jefferson County’s appeal of a routine procedural order in a constitutional rights case, which the plaintiffs argued could spawn appeal-related delays in countless lawsuits against the government. During a hearing, U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews noted he could find no decisions backing up the…
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Federal judge dismisses some claims in ex-RTD police chief’s discrimination lawsuit
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A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed some of the claims brought by the former police chief of the Regional Transportation District in his employment discrimination lawsuit. Joel Fitzgerald Sr. led RTD’s police department after his August 2022 hiring until his termination in September 2024. Fitzgerald alleged his successes in transforming the department were overshadowed by…
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Federal judge declines to award attorney fees in ‘very weak’ voter intimidation case
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A federal judge agreed last week that three civic organizations presented a “very weak” voter intimidation case to her last year, but it was not so baseless as to award the defendants attorney fees after they prevailed at trial. Last July, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney concluded the organizers of an “election integrity”…
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Appeals court rules Denver ordinance’s constitutionality has no bearing on lawfulness of arrest
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Colorado’s second-highest court ruled on Thursday that regardless of whether a plaintiff could later show Denver’s ordinance was unconstitutional, arresting officers were acting with probable cause at the time and could not be held liable. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals pointed to a 1979 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that indicated…
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Federal judge stands by ruling dismissing some of protesters’ claims against Denver
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A federal judge last week refused to alter her ruling allowing only some claims to proceed to a jury trial against Denver for its alleged constitutional violations against protesters. Numerous judges this year have found Denver or its officers may be held liable for excessive force or First Amendment violations in a series of lawsuits.…
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New Colorado legal organization named after pioneering Denver lawyer
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Members of the legal community gathered at the University of Denver on Wednesday night to dedicate a new professional organization to the late Irving P. Andrews, a prominent lawyer and civil rights advocate. “The very first step in his process is to recognize the suffering of those who are subject to injustice. To do so…
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‘Take me up to the 10th Circuit’: Federal judge, civil rights attorney defiant as $18,000 sanction on the line
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A federal judge and a prominent civil rights attorney both stood their ground at a hearing on Thursday over an impending $18,000 sanction resulting from a failure to turn over evidence as ordered. Sasha Cronick is pursuing claims of unreasonable search and seizure and false arrest against Colorado Springs officers who handcuffed her minutes after…
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Federal judge slams civil rights attorneys for ‘enabling and facilitating’ disobedience of court order
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A federal judge vented her frustration at a pair of civil rights attorneys last month for continuing to protest her finding that sanctions are warranted in the wake of their client’s refusal to turn over evidence to the defense. Sasha Cronick is pursuing claims of unreasonable search and seizure and false arrest against Colorado Springs…
