Tag: prosecutor
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Federal judge dismisses malicious prosecution claim against former Denver prosecutor
A federal judge concluded on Monday that a former Denver prosecutor could not be sued for allegedly causing the arrests of two plaintiffs after they failed to appear for trial on the scheduled date, even though the trial had been postponed. Victoria Carbajal and Luis Leal first filed suit more than a decade ago, alleging…
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Colorado justices: El Paso County judge erred by removing prosecutor for comments about stabbing public defenders
The Colorado Supreme Court, by a 5-1 vote, concluded on Monday that an El Paso County judge mistakenly removed a prosecutor from a murder case after he was overheard saying he hoped the defendant would stab public defenders if he were released from custody. As the prosecution and the defense litigated Rocky Wayne West’s competency…
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Colorado justices: El Paso County judge erred by removing prosecutor for comments about stabbing public defenders
The Colorado Supreme Court, by a 5-1 vote, concluded on Monday that an El Paso County judge mistakenly removed a prosecutor from a murder case after he was overheard saying he hoped the defendant would stab public defenders if he were released from custody. As the prosecution and the defense litigated Rocky Wayne West’s competency…
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4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office wins Colorado District Attorneys’ Council awards
It was a typical morning for 4th Judicial Chief Deputy District Attorney Tony Gioia as he waved goodbye to his wife and children before heading out to the annual September awards ceremony hosted by the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council in Breckenridge. His wife nearly let it slip as he walked out the door that morning.…
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‘An American success story’: Cyrus Chung ceremonially sworn in as federal magistrate judge
Cyrus Y. Chung’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Korea, and they had a vision about which paths would offer the surest bet for a good life. “Asian immigrant parents, chasing a better life, think themselves very generous because they offer their kids three whole career options: You can be a doctor, you can be…
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Appeals court agrees DA can sue Huerfano County sheriff over chronic mishandling of evidence
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled on Thursday that an elected district attorney was justified in suing the Huerfano County sheriff over persistent problems in evidence handling that compromised numerous prosecutions. Last year, Third Judicial District Attorney Henry Solano obtained a permanent injunction against longtime Sheriff Bruce Newman, in which a trial judge ordered Newman to hand…
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Colorado’s federal trial court selects 2 new magistrate judges
Colorado’s federal trial court announced on Monday that it has named public defender Timothy P. O’Hara and prosecutor Cyrus Y. Chung to be its newest magistrate judges, filling one current and one pending vacancy. Unlike district judges, who the president nominates and the U.S. Senate confirms, magistrate judges serve eight-year terms following an appointment by…
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Appeals court warns judges, prosecutors to stop dragging feet on victim restitution
Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday warned that prosecutors should be moving faster to determine the financial restitution owed to crime victims, and that trial judges are empowered to nudge the prosecution along by setting a timeline for calculating the amount owed. The decision from the Court of Appeals is the latest in a spate of restitution-related…
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Appeals court overturns orders requiring Huerfano County to better fund DA’s office
Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday concluded a trial judge exceeded his authority by ordering Huerfano County to increase funding to the district attorney’s office using the elected DA’s own formula. Henry L. Solano, the district attorney for Las Animas and Huerfano counties, argued Huerfano County commissioners were awarding him less than 50% of what he…