Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Courts

‘Somebody’s In Our House’: Colorado Father Stops Alleged Repeat Burglar Near Children’s Bedroom
Fox News, Approved, Local

‘Somebody’s In Our House’: Colorado Father Stops Alleged Repeat Burglar Near Children’s Bedroom

By Stepheny Price and Ashley Papa | Fox News A Denver family said they lived every parent’s worst nightmare, waking up in the middle of the night to find a stranger walking toward their children’s bedrooms. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Kevin and Sarah Root described the terrifying early-morning encounter inside their southwest Denver home. The couple said the break-in happened around 3:30 a.m. "We heard the footsteps coming up the stairs to where our room is," Kevin recalled. "We looked at each other and said, ‘Somebody’s in our house.’ You realize you’re not dreaming — this is real." Sarah immediately grabbed her phone to call 911 while her husband went to check the hallway. "The fear of what’s going to happen when my husband opens the door, that’s what ...
Colorado ACLU takes aim at Trump bond restrictions for immigrants
CBS News, Approved, State

Colorado ACLU takes aim at Trump bond restrictions for immigrants

By Anna Alejo | CBS News A new suit filed in the U.S. District Court of Colorado challenges a Trump administration policy that denies bond hearings to immigrants who entered the country without authorization. The class action suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado calls the policy "a far-reaching departure from longstanding immigration law," and seeks to represent the entire class of individuals subject to the new bond policy in Colorado.   The ACLU says the detention of immigrants at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora without eligibility for bond raises serious constitutional concerns, adding "the Constitution doesn't allow the government to lock people up without due process." "The law says that they're...
DNA deception? Colorado crime lab analyst under fire delays arraignment
Fox31, Approved, State

DNA deception? Colorado crime lab analyst under fire delays arraignment

BY VICENTE ARENAS | KDVR FOX 31 GOLDEN, Colo. (KDVR) — The defense attorney representing Yvonne Missy Woods asked a district judge on Monday for a continuance of her arraignment. Attorney Tom Ward told the judge his team needed more time to look more new evidence that they must now look at in the case. “Just this morning, we received a disclosure of another 5,000 pages of stamped materials. Given the length of time that the allegations cover, and the breadth of the materials that we have to deal with. We are asking to set this for October 27,” Ward said. The judge granted the continuance. Woods, a former CBI forensic analyst, is accused of more than 100 felony counts for her work at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. READ THE COMPLETE STORY AT KDVR - FOX 31
Judge denies motion to dismiss in Colorado Springs ‘hate crime hoax’ case
Approved, KRDO.COM, Local

Judge denies motion to dismiss in Colorado Springs ‘hate crime hoax’ case

By Celeste Springer | KRDO COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - It's been six months since three people were indicted after allegedly staging a hate crime to help a Black Colorado Springs candidate, Mayor Yemi Mobolade, win an election. On Friday, a judge denied a motion to dismiss, signalling that the case will move forward and ultimately be heard by a jury. In April 2023, just before the Colorado Springs mayoral election, video of a burning cross in front of then-candidate Yemi Mobolade's campaign sign was sent to media outlets. The sign had also been painted with the "n-word." The event was thought to be a racially motivated attack on Mobolade, who was a Black candidate running against a white opponent. According to court records, investigators believe Derrick Berna...
Mail carrier admits to ballot theft, voter fraud in Mesa County election case
Approved, Local, Trending Politics

Mail carrier admits to ballot theft, voter fraud in Mesa County election case

By Mark Steffen | Trending Politics A Colorado U.S. postal worker has pleaded guilty to trying to rig the 2024 election, according to prosecutors who announced they reached a deal that may involve prison time. The absurd case involved Vicki Stuart, a 64-year-old former employee of the U.S. Postal Service who on Monday admitted to forgery and identify theft in an attempt to steal ballots and cast votes in the names of other Americans during the 2024 election. Stuart had been charged with 34 counts in connection with her ballot theft scheme, according to Colorado Public Radio. She and another woman in Mesa County allegedly stole dozens of mail-in ballots as they passed through her truck, opening and filling them out for their preferred candidate rather than delivering them to their ...
Colorado Senate committee rejects judicial watchdog picks over misconduct concerns
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado Senate committee rejects judicial watchdog picks over misconduct concerns

By David Migoya | Denver Gazette In a bipartisan rebuke of how a years-long scandal has been handled, a Colorado Senate committee on Monday made the rare move of not approving the gubernatorial reappointment of the top two members of the state’s Commission on Judicial Discipline. Just months after voters statewide overwhelmingly chose to change how Colorado disciplines judges, the state Senate Judiciary Committee voted — 4-3, with two Democrats joining the panel’s two lone Republicans — to offer an unfavorable recommendation to the full Senate on the reappointment of Mindy Sooter and Jim Carpenter, the chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the 10-member commission. It was the committee’s last official act as the legislative session rushed to a close on Wednesday. The full...
Flawed filing stalls Peters’ release bid as DOJ weighs in and President Trump demanding action
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Flawed filing stalls Peters’ release bid as DOJ weighs in and President Trump demanding action

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A federal judge on Monday warned former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters that her request to be released while she appeals her 2024 criminal convictions appears to be brought improperly and may be subject to dismissal. Jurors convicted Peters for her role in a security breach of her office's voting equipment. She is currently serving a nine-year sentence of incarceration. While the state's Court of Appeals reviews her conviction, Peters has filed a federal petition for "habeas corpus," a legal tool used to challenge one's confinement. Specifically, Peters is seeking to be released on bond while her appeal moves forward in state court. In a May 5 order, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak identified a problem with the petition....
Northeast Colorado judge resigns after allegations of undisclosed ties to former client
Approved, Colorado Politics, Local

Northeast Colorado judge resigns after allegations of undisclosed ties to former client

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A judge from northeastern Colorado resigned at the end of Wednesday, and, in doing so, admitted to allegations that he used his position to aid a friend in her court case and did not disclose his personal connection in other cases involving that friend. District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein presided in the 13th Judicial District of Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson counties. He had been off the bench since the Colorado Supreme Court suspended him in November, pending a disciplinary investigation. In an April 29 letter addressed to Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez, he announced his resignation effective on April 30. Also on April 29, Haenlein's attorney submitted a filing to the three-member...
Judge overrules Elizabeth School District, forces return of books parents objected to
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Judge overrules Elizabeth School District, forces return of books parents objected to

By Michael Karlik | Denver Gazette An Elbert County school district confirmed on Friday to a federal judge that it has restored 19 restricted books to library shelves after she found the school board likely violated the First Amendment rights of students and authors by removing the titles for ideological reasons. Earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit declined to suspend, or stay, a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney. Previously, Sweeney ordered the Elizabeth School District to return the restricted books to libraries, and she set a specific date of April 5. The 10th Circuit put that order temporarily on hold while it took an initial look at the case, before ultimately deciding against intervention...