We all know what a jury trial looks like. For those who haven’t seen one in person, you’ve likely seen one depicted on television. In all reality, jury trials are far more common on television than they are in the Colorado criminal courts. Though citizens are guaranteed the right to a jury trial—few ever invoke that right. [Read more…]
Longmont Police Have High-Tech Surveillance Toys
Cops in Longmont have several newer toys at their disposal—technological tools that make their jobs easier. A report in the Longmont Times-Call highlights some of these new gadgets and their places within the department. [Read more…]
Denver Police Get Fewer Complaints, but Issues Remain
According to the Denver Post, citizen complaints against the Denver Police Department fell 21% in 2011, but there are still concerns. Namely, citizens are up in arms about cops entering residences without warrants, and are worried about the “code of silence” that keeps cops quiet when others are suspected of misconduct. [Read more…]
Colorado Marijuana Legalization Goes To Voters
The Colorado Secretary of State’s office recently announced that marijuana legalization advocates recently reached their goal in getting enough signatures to put legalization on the state’s November ballot. This means, come November, the people of Colorado will have the opportunity to decide if pot should be legal. [Read more…]
Denver Police Reorganizes to Improve Community Policing
Denver Police Chief Robert White announced this week that there will be major changes coming about for the department. It’s all in an effort to “flatten” the department, increase accountability, and even improve public safety. According to the Denver Post, the changes are being welcome with open arms by everyone. [Read more…]
Proposed Bill in Colorado Could Hide Bad Cops
A proposed bill in the Colorado legislature could prevent many records of police misconduct from ever being publicized. According to The Denver Post, the bill would make disciplinary hearings and possibly video evidence closed to the public, something that’s not resting easy with many. [Read more…]
Do Colorado Cops Need Warrant To Track You By Cell Phone?
A lot can be done with technology these days. Police can track the movements of anyone with a cell phone. They can, but under what circumstances do they actually do this and are they required to get a warrant ahead of time? The answers to those questions aren’t so clear. [Read more…]
Mistaken Identity Not Uncommon In Denver Arrests
In a period of seven years, there were at least 500 cases of mistaken-identity arrests in Denver, this according to a study from the ACLU and used in a lawsuit on behalf of some of those mistakenly detained in the Denver jail. Both the city and county of Denver are named in the lawsuit, which seeks compensation from people who were held for days and even weeks before the officials corrected their mistakes. [Read more…]
Denver Criminal Justice Officials May Face Different Standard for DUI Arrest
Police Chief Gerald Whitman may not be the head of Denver’s police department for much longer, but he is making waves on his way out. He has proposed a change in procedures for when officers or other local criminal justice employee or public officials are pulled over for drunk driving. [Read more…]
Man, Convicted of Sexual Abuse and Sentenced to 145 Years, Appeals
In 2002 Charles Farrar was convicted of several counts of sexual assault on a minor. The victim, his daughter, Sacha, accused him and her mother of “forcing her into sexual encounters from the age of eleven until she was fifteen,” according to Westword. Now nine years into his sentence, Farrar is appealing on the basis of inadequate representation and prosecutorial misconduct. [Read more…]