http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-06-20T01:03:46-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal_judge_oks_suit_over_shocking_claim_911_operator_told_harassed_man/ Disagreeing with a recommendation by a magistrate that a civil rights case should be dismissed, a federal judge in Denver gave a green light on Monday to a family's lawsuit over the death of a Sudanese refugee. Soon-to-be victim Jimma Reat, 25, and others called 911 in April 2012 reporting… Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Government Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 10th Circuit Court, States, Colorado Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:15:21 -0500 44691.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judges_correct_124_sentences_after_early_release_of_suspect_in_prison-chief/ Judges in Colorado have corrected 124 prison sentences for inmates and parolees after an error led to early release of a suspect in the slaying of Colorado prisons chief Tom Clements. The corrections were the result of a massive audit ordered after the early release of Evan… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, States, Colorado Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:01:09 -0500 44513.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_oks_insanity_plea_for_accused_shooter_in_colo._movie_theater_massacre/ Establishing the framework for pretrial proceedings for the man accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 more in a Colorado movie theater shooting spree last summer, a state court judge on Tuesday ruled that defendant James Holmes can change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Holmes,… Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, Trials & Litigation, States, Colorado Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:30:23 -0500 44471.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/general_counsel_takes_plea_over_golf_outing_credit-card_charges/ The general counsel of a Colorado transportation agency wound up in the rough over golf outings he was accused of charging on a company credit card around the time when he was scheduled for continuing legal education and professional meetings. Walter Mathews IV was fired by Roaring Fork Transportation Authority… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, In-house Counsel, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Colorado Wed, 29 May 2013 12:33:49 -0500 44387.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/accused_shooter_in_colo._movie_theater_massacre_to_make_insanity_plea/ Lawyers for James Holmes, who is accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 others in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting spree last summer, is seeking court permission to change his not guilty plea. In a Tuesday filing (PDF), lawyers for Holmes say they intend to "tender… Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, Trials & Litigation, States, Colorado Wed, 08 May 2013 11:38:43 -0500 44087.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/pro_se_homeowner_wins_rare_federal_stay_of_sale_in_foreclosure_case/ Representing herself in federal court without the help of a lawyer, a Colorado homeowner has won a rare ruling staying the auction sale of her home after she lost a state-court mortgage foreclosure case. U.S. District Judge William Martinez on Monday issued an order temporarily staying the sale of Lisa… Appellate Practice, Constitutional Law, Judiciary, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 10th Circuit Court, States, Colorado Tue, 07 May 2013 11:08:17 -0500 44066.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/man_accused_of_facebook_threats_of_columbine_shooting_at_illinois_courthous/ A little over a month ago, Daniel McDade was facing only a driving-under-the-influence case in suburban Chicago. Now he is being held in Denver for extradition to Illinois, charged with two new felonies over posts the DuPage County Sheriff's Office says he put on Facebook threatening a "Columbine"-style shooting at… Criminal Justice, Internet Law, Judiciary, Court Security, States, Colorado, Illinois Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:10:52 -0500 43655.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/bipartisan_dont_shoot_my_dog_bill_moves_forward_would_require_more_police/ Seeking to strike a balance between legitimate law enforcement and the desire to protect pets from unnecessary shootings, two Colorado lawmakers have introduced a bill that is moving forward in the state senate. The bipartisan so-called "Don't Shoot My Dog" bill would require law enforcement agencies to train officers about… Animal Law, Criminal Justice, Government Law, Legislation & Lobbying, States, Colorado Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:29:59 -0500 43580.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/court_says_colo._prisons_chief_slay_suspect_released_too_early_apologizes/ The deceased suspect believed to have slain the Colorado prisons superintendent last month before being mortally wounded in a shootout with Texas authorities was supposed to have been serving time for an attack on a jail guard. But because… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Judiciary, States, Colorado Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:53:37 -0500 43516.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/prosecutors_will_seek_death_penalty_against_suspect_in_colorado_movie_shoot/ Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty against James Holmes, the suspect in the shooting deaths of 12 people at a Colorado movie theater. Lawyers for Holmes had said their client is willing to plead guilty in exchange for… Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, States, Colorado Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:09:08 -0500 43502.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/did_suspect_in_colo._prisons_chief_slaying_have_hit_list_of_attorneys_in_ve/ A continuing investigation into the killing of the Colorado prisons superintendent is focusing on at least two questions: Whether the deceased suspect in the case, Evan Spencer Ebel, could be responsible for any other murders. And whether 211 Crew, the white supremacist gang of which Ebel was said to be… Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Court Security, States, Colorado, Texas Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:22:39 -0500 43488.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/accused_colorado_movie_shooter_offers_plea_deal_as_prosecutors_mull_their_o/ The man accused of killing 12 people at a Colorado movie theater in July is willing to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of life in prison without parole, his lawyers say in a court document. Lawyers for James Holmes, 25, revealed the offer in a court scheduling document,… Criminal Justice, States, Colorado Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:55:31 -0500 43477.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/sheriff_says_ballistics_link_gun_in_texas_traffic_shootout_with_slaying_of_/ Ballistics evidence shows that the same gun used in a Texas shootout that began with a routine traffic stop was also used in the earlier slaying of the Colorado prisons superintendent at his home, authorities announced Monday afternoon. The El Paso County, Colo., sheriff's office said shell casings in both… Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Colorado, Texas Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:24:40 -0500 43428.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/did_man_gravely_wounded_in_texas_gunbattle_have_anything_to_do_with_slaying/ Authorities in Colorado and Texas say they are investigating whether a suspect killed after a high-speed chase, crash and shootout in Texas on Thursday has any connection to the slaying of the Colorado prisons superintendent at home earlier this week. The suspect, Evan… Criminal Justice, States, Colorado, Texas Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:43:43 -0500 43394.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/person_of_interest_in_lawyers_slaying_is_arrested/ A person of interest being sought by authorities in the apparent slaying of a Colorado family law attorney has been arrested in Idaho. Warren Dale Watson was arrested Friday in Caldwell on an unrelated prior warrant, KUSA reports. The body of Claudia Miller, 66, was Careers, Obituaries, Criminal Justice, Family Law, States, Colorado Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:42:49 -0600 43186.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/office_cleaning_crew_finds_slain_lawyers_body/ Updated: Police in Lakewood, Colo., say they have located the vehicle belonging to a family law attorney who was found dead in her office on Tuesday night by a cleaning crew. The 2012 Honda Accord, which police said was apparently stolen from the parking lot at Claudia Miller's law office… Criminal Justice, States, Colorado Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:26:10 -0600 43154.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/imaginary_weapon_tossed_at_nonexistent_target_gets_7-year-old_a_real_school/ Concerned about student violence in the wake of multiple classroom shootings, many school districts have adopted zero-tolerance policies in recent years under which children have been disciplined for displaying so-called weapons that obviously weren't likely to inflict injury. But the concept is being extended even further, as a recent incident… Education Law, States, Colorado Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:31:23 -0600 42727.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/victims_widow_sues_u_of_colo_psychiatrist_over_batman_movie_theater_massacr/ Corrected: The widow of a man massacred last year, with nearly a dozen others, in a July 20 shooting rampage at a Colorado movie theater showing the new Batman movie has sued the former treating psychiatrist of the suspected gunman, James Holmes. Dr. Lynne Fenton acted negligently by failing to… Criminal Justice, Education Law, Tort Law, Medical Malpractice, Trials & Litigation, 10th Circuit Court, States, Colorado Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:01:32 -0600 42382.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_delays_arraignment_of_accused_colo._movie_shooter/ A judge on Friday postponed the arraignment of accused Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes until March 12. The judge said that while he empathized with the victims' desire for closure, he agreed that the defense needed more time to examine the mountain of evidence prosecutors have amassed against… Criminal Justice, Criminal Procedure, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Colorado Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:45:42 -0600 42316.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/smartphone_photos_show_holmes_planned_dark_knight_movie_theater_massacre_pr/ Smartphone photographs show suspect James Holmes carefully planned the July 20 massacre of 12 people at a Colorado movie theater with "deliberation and extreme indifference," the prosecution says. As a preliminary hearing continued on Wednesday, the state presented a series of photos taken as early as June 29 that were… Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Colorado Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:10:48 -0600 42280.abajournal.com