excessive force
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Federal judge allows excessive force claims to proceed against Moffat County, Craig officers
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A federal judge last week permitted a man’s excessive force claims to proceed against law enforcement officers from Craig and Moffat County, who allegedly rammed him with a car as he was walking away with his hands in the air. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak noted that plaintiff Tanner Sholes, as alleged, was…
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Federal judge lets prisoner’s claim proceed over strip search video shared with others
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A federal judge agreed last week that an incarcerated man’s claims could proceed against two state corrections employees, alleging they retaliated against him for complaining about recorded strip searches and also showed the video of one search to inmates and staff. Representing himself, Ryan James Griffin filed suit based on multiple strip searches he underwent…
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Federal judge dismisses claim against coordinator of prison training exercise gone wrong
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A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the alleged coordinator of a prison training exercise could not be held liable for excessive force when the simulation took a turn for the worse and employees actually attacked each other. As part of a 2019 hostage training at Federal Correctional Complex, Florence, prison employees punched, shot simulated bullets…
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Federal judge grants immunity to Colorado Springs paramedic, officer for man’s death
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A federal judge has concluded that a Colorado Springs paramedic and police officer could not be held liable for their roles in restraining a man in mental health crisis, leading to his death. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney determined Sean Reed and Nick Fischer were entitled to qualified immunity, which is a judicial…
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10th Circuit says Lakewood sergeant has immunity for fatally shooting man in burning basement
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The Denver-based federal appeals court agreed on Thursday that a Lakewood police sergeant did not violate a man’s constitutional rights by shooting and killing him while trying to evacuate him from a burning basement. Jason Waterhouse was behaving erratically when he barricaded himself in the basement of his sister’s home, then started a fire while…
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Colorado Springs to face trial over adequacy of police training, federal judge rules
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The city of Colorado Springs will stand trial alongside four of its officers, a federal judge ruled on Thursday, so a jury can determine if a man’s constitutional rights were violated when police chased him inside his home without a warrant and restrained him as he lay on the floor dying. Previously, U.S. District Court Senior…
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Colorado Springs officers to face civil trial for luring man out of home, chasing him inside prior to death
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A federal judge ruled last week that a jury will decide whether four Colorado Springs police officers violated a man’s constitutional rights by chasing him inside his home without a warrant and restraining him as he lay on the floor dying. Chad Alexander Burnett was mentally ill and allegedly behaving menacingly toward his neighbors. When…
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Federal judge eases path for plaintiffs to hold Denver liable for 2020 protest response
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A federal judge last month reversed course on her previous decision and ruled a group of one dozen plaintiffs who were injured during the police response to Denver protests can hold the city liable for failing to train its officers on the use of chemical weapons and projectiles. Last March, U.S. District Court Judge Nina Y.…
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Denver police sergeant to face civil trial over alleged First Amendment retaliation, judge rules
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A federal judge ruled last month that a jury will evaluate whether a Denver police officer violated a man’s First Amendment rights by knocking his cell phone onto the ground in retaliation for video recording. Brian Loma was recording the city’s operation to dismantle a homeless encampment in November 2020 when he began yelling at…