Author: Esteban Candelaria
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Departing police chief Vince Niski favoring deputy chief out of diminished pool of applicants for his job
Departing Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski is favoring one of his deputy chiefs as his successor, he told The Gazette in an interview, out of a current pool of applicants he said is roughly two-thirds the size of the pool that applied for his job three years ago. While not naming who applied for…
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Academy District 20 cancels high school classes Friday due to ‘sick out’ planned by teachers
Nearly 30% of Academy District 20 high school teachers have called off of work Friday as part of a “sick out” over proposed schedule changes announced in early February that would impact their workloads. The “sick out” has prompted the district to cancel classes for its high school students, spokesperson Allison Cortez said. “With such…
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First-degree murder charges announced in cold-case killing, bond revoked
A Black Forest man accused in the death of Kara Nichols, who disappeared nearly 10 years ago, has been charged with first-degree murder, attorneys announced Thursday. Joel Hollendorfer, 46, was initially charged with second-degree murder, but prosecutors last week indicated their intent to upgrade charges against him. Defense attorneys announced at a Thursday morning first-appearance…
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Randy Bishop’s murder trial moved back up after mistrial amid Letecia Stauch case shuffle
After a mistrial delaying Randy Bishop’s murder trial over three months was declared last week, Fourth Judicial District Judge Marcus Henson moved the trial back up roughly one month Tuesday afternoon after Bishop’s attorney’s schedule freed up. At a review hearing for Bishop’s murder case, in which he’s accused in the 2019 death of Thomas…
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Federal judge tosses church’s lawsuit against city of Colorado Springs, police department and District Attorney’s Office
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit early this month filed by a Colorado Springs church alleging selective law enforcement and religious freedom violations by the city, its police department, the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and officials and officers in those departments. In a ruling handed down Feb. 4, United States District Judge William Martínez…
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Letecia Stauch changes plea to not guilty by reason of insanity, considering waiving jury trial
Letecia Stauch, accused of murdering her stepson Gannon Stauch over two years ago, changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity during a Friday afternoon status hearing, and said through her attorneys she’s considering waiving her jury trial over concerns she won’t be able to get a fair panel. After pleading not guilty…
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Black Forest man accused in cold-case killing has bond set at $1 million
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A Black Forest man accused in the death of 19-year-old Kara Nichols, reported missing nearly 10 years ago, and in the concealment of her body on his property will likely be charged with first-degree murder, prosecutors said at a Wednesday afternoon advisement hearing. Joel Hollendorfer, arrested Monday in the death of 19-year-old Kara Nichols, will…
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Black Forest man accused in cold-case killing has bond set at $1 million
A Black Forest man accused in the death of 19-year-old Kara Nichols, reported missing nearly 10 years ago, and in the concealment of her body on his property will likely be charged with first-degree murder, prosecutors said at a Wednesday afternoon advisement hearing. Joel Hollendorfer, arrested Monday in the death of 19-year-old Kara Nichols, will…
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De’Von Bailey lawsuit against city of Colorado Springs settled for nearly $3 million
The Colorado Springs City Council approved a $2.97 million settlement Tuesday in a civil lawsuit brought by the estate of De’Von Bailey, a 19-year-old Black man shot in the back four times by police in 2019. The suit names the city of Colorado Springs and police Sgt. Alan Van’t Land and officer Blake Evenson, who…
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Jury trials to resume Valentine’s Day in El Paso, Teller counties, chief judge orders
Due to reduced coronavirus case rate levels in El Paso and Teller counties, jury trials will resume on Valentine’s Day, according to an order handed down Tuesday afternoon. Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge William Bain announced in a Tuesday order that “based on the current COVID-19 positivity and incidence rates in both El Paso and…