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News
Colorado News Archive from 2011
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of Colorado News
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News stories and links from the 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
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2010 Colorado legislative sessions.
- Sister Helen Prejean on Why Colorado's Death Penalty is Past its Expiration Date
?
When you've spent close to three decades as one of America's leading opponents of capital punishment, you develop an understanding of what states truly have the will to execute their condemned. And Sister Helen Prejean, the Dead Man Walking author who's in Aurora tonight for a public talk on vengeance, forgiveness and reconciliation, has reason to believe that the death penalty may be on its last legs in Colorado. (11/30/11, Westword)
- So What Does Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper Think About Repealing The Death Penalty?
Good question. His spokeswoman Megan Castle provided an inconclusive response Wednesday to the question of whether Hickenlooper would push for a change in the death penalty in Colorado. "This is not an issue that the Governor takes lightly," she said in an e-mail. "Most Governors struggle with the enormity of the decision." In a Denver Post questionnaire during the 2010 campaign, Hickenlooper said this when asked whether the death penalty should be repealed: "No, but it should be restricted." (11/23/11, The Denver Post)
- Chuck E. Cheese Killer Loses at Federal Appeals Court
Judges for the 10th Circuit? Court of Appeals today rejected a challenge to Nathan Dunlap's armed robbery conviction, which was used to win the death penalty against the Chuck E. Cheese killer. (11/22/11, The Denver Post)
- CADP Sponsors Colorado Springs Panel Discussion
A former Illinois Death Row inmate will be among the panelists Wednesday at a free discussion in Colorado Springs sponsored by death penalty opponents. Randy Steidl, former Illinois death row inmate Randy Steidl served 17 years, 3 months and 3 weeks in prison for the 1986 murders of a newlywed couple in Paris, Ill. He was freed in 2004. ... The talk was planned as part of World Day against the Death Penalty, which fell on Halloween this year. (11/1/11, Colorado Spring Gazette)
- Death Penalty Information Center Adds Colorado Information Page
These pages provide historical and current information on the death penalty for each state. (10/24/11, DPIC Update)
- CADP's Annual Dinner Held on October 21
They came to support CADP, honor this year's awardees, and hear an inspirational message from our special guest, Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. Bryan has won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color in the criminal justice system. He has assisted in securing relief for dozens of condemned prisoners, advocated for poor people and developed community-based reform litigation aimed at improving the administration of criminal justice. Features
of This Year's Dinner: Lifetime Abolitionist Awards (in memoriam) - Rev. Charles Milligan and Cindy Sheehan; Spirit of Courage Award - Senator Robert Bacon; Volunteer of the Year - Courtney Maupin. This year's dinner was held at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80003. The dinner and program started at 7 p.m., with a reception starting at 6:15 p.m. A silent auction was also part of the event. (10/22/11, CADP)
- Masters' Murder Case Detective Reindicted For Perjury
A Larimer County grand jury Thursday reindicted for felony perjury the Fort Collins police detective who led the first-degree murder investigation of Tim Masters?. Jim Broderick faces nine charges of first- degree perjury related to his testimony during the investigation and trial that resulted in Masters' conviction for the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick. ... In June, Masters was formally exonerated by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, and police and prosecutors apologized to him. (7/28/11, The Denver Post)
- Colorado Moves Death-Row Inmates So They Can Exercise Outdoors
The Colorado Department of Corrections has effectively moved the state's death row from Cañon City to Sterling to settle a federal lawsuit originally filed by Chuck E. Cheese killer Nathan Dunlap. The state's death chamber will remain at Colorado State Penitentiary, but Dunlap and Colorado's two other death-row inmates now live at Sterling Correctional Facility. As their appeals are exhausted and death warrants signed, they will be returned to Cañon City for execution, said DOC spokeswoman Katherine Sanguinetti. (7/28/11, The Denver Post)
- CADP Holds July 23-24 Benefit Picnics in Boulder and Denver With Mike Farrell
The Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Foundation recently held two evening picnics with Mike Farrell. CADP's Boulder picnic was held Saturday, July 23rd from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at a supporter's home on Mapleton Avenue in Boulder. The Denver picnic was held the following day, Sunday July 24th, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at another CADP supporter's home on Humboldt Street in Denver. Attendees enjoyed a nice dinner and an enjoyable, informative talk by Mike Farrell. For questions or to make an additional donation, please contact Lisa Cisneros at lisa@coadp.org or (720) 261-0905. (7/25/11, CADP)
- Attend July Benefit Picnics in Boulder or Denver With Mike Farrell
The Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Foundation invites you to an evening with Mike Farrell. Mike Farrell, best known for his role as B.J. Honeycutt in the M*A*S*H* TV show, has spent 30 years advocating for the end of capital punishment in the US. He is a founder and president of Death Penalty Focus and has served on the Board of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Register or get more information for Boulder picnic. Register or get more information for Denver picnic. (7/9/11, CADP)
- AG Suthers Exonerates Tim Masters in 1987 Murder
From the day he walked out of prison three years ago, Timothy Masters has faced doubts. Some said a judge vacated his conviction for the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick based solely on a technicality. Though Masters received a $10 million settlement from Fort Collins and Larimer County, no one involved in putting him behind bars for 10 years admitted wrongdoing or said they were sorry. So Attorney General John Suthers' decision to exonerate him and subsequent apologies from police and prosecutors were "really fantastic news," Masters, 40, said Tuesday night. "It's really good to have someone in authority who has investigated the case finally clear me." (6/29/11, The Denver Post)
- CADP July 23 Summer Picnic Features Actor & Activist Mike Farrell
Our summer picnic is just around the corner! Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 23. Actor and activist Mike Farrell wll be joining us as speaker for this event. Be sure not to miss a good time. Details will be posted soon! (6/6/11, CADP)
- CADP Offers Death Penalty Activist Training
Come learn about CADP's movement toward repeal and find out how you can get involved. When: Saturday, July 9, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Who: This training is open to everyone, whether you are a seasoned death penalty activist or new to the movement. What: Strategy session, guest speaker, and workshops on messaging, outreach, and more! To RSVP or get more information, e-mail Chelsea Young or phone (419) 576-2703. (6/4/11, CADP)
- See CADP at This Year's Summer Festivals
We will be joining forces with CCJRC as we co-host a booth at several summer festivals in June and July. See our calendar page for details on each festival. Please stop by and say hello, or if you'd like to volunteer, send us an e-mail at info@coadp.org. (6/4/11, CADP)
- DA Chambers Under Fire for Giving Witness Car in Death Penalty Case
Attorneys for Sir Mario Owens, sentenced to death for the 2005 murders of Vivian Wolfe and Javad Marshall-Fields, claim that Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers and her prosecutors made several unusual deals with witnesses in the secrecy-shrouded case - including donating a car to one witness and paying for six months' worth of auto insurance coverage - and failed to disclose those arrangements to the defense before trial. (5/13/11, Westword)
- Exonerated Death Row Inmate Visits Grand Junction
This week Grand Junction residents have a chance to meet a man who spent almost 18 years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. Juan Melendez was wrongly convicted of first degree murder in Florida in 1984. Wednesday night, he shared his story with an audience at a Grand Junction coffee shop. ... An organization called Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is sponsoring Melendez's visit to Grand Junction. The CADP is an organization committed to educating the pubic about what they say are flaws in the state's capital punishment system. They also promote alternative sentences such as life without the possibility of parole. Melendez is scheduled to speak at two more events this week. (4/28/11, KJCT8.com)
- Former Death Row Inmates Who Were Cleared Urge Students To Fight Death Penalty
Two wrongly convicted men who spent a combined 32 years in a Florida prison waiting to die recounted the horrors of their experiences Tuesday and urged college students to join efforts to abolish the death penalty. Shabaka WaQlimi and Juan Melendez spoke of the constant aggravations of death row, such as roaches and rats that visited the 6-foot-by-9-foot cells and the buzzing noise they could hear when corrections officers tested the electric chair. ... The two-hour talk to Metropolitan State College of Denver students was part of the latest push by the nonprofit Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty to convince the public of flaws in the capital punishment system. (4/20/11, The Denver Post)
- CADP Sponsors "Death Row: Voices of the Innocent" Exoneree Tour
In a tour sponsored by Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, Coloradans will hear two men tell their stories of how they were wrongfully convicted and ultimately found innocent and released from death row. These events will be held at churches, universities, and community centers across the Denver Metro, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction areas and are open to the public. Tour dates are April 16-19 and April 27-29, 2011. See the full tour schedule and get more information.
(4/7/11, CADP)
- Family of Boulder Victim Agrees with DA Decision Not to Seek Death Penalty
Todd Walker's father, Mark Walker, briefly spoke with 9NEWS about the DA's decision not to seek the death penalty for Kevin Michael McGregor. "We don't think we have the energy to go through the delay and process it would take to seek the capital punishment," Mark Walker said. "It's not important to us to take the life of someone else because they took the life of our son."
(4/6/11, 9NEWS.com)
- Colorado DA Chambers Offers Prosecutors Cash for Convictions
ARAPAHOE COUNTY - The 18th Judicial District Attorney, Carol Chambers, is giving bonuses to her deputy attorneys who tried more than five cases last year and have a conviction rate higher than 70 percent, 9Wants to Know has learned. Critics say it's unethical to give prosecutors a financial prize for winning a trial and may give defense attorneys a reason to appeal a case. (3/23/11, 9NEWS.com)
- Garnett: Death Penalty Under Consideration for Accused Shooter Kevin McGregor
The 22-year-old Longmont man accused of killing a University of New Hampshire football player during an attempted robbery on University Hill could become the first person in Boulder County to face the death penalty since 1981. (3/21/11, The Daily Camera)
- Posthumous Pardons in the United States Include Colorado
A recent study by Dr. Stephen Greenspan, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado, revealed that throughout American history at least 106 individuals have been granted posthumous pardons, including 12 individuals who were executed. Although not all of the pardons were granted because of doubts about the defendant's guilt, Dr. Greenspan found that in many instances the defendant was proven, or was very likely, not guilty and had originally received biased or unfair legal proceedings. Among those who were executed and later pardoned were Joe Arridy in Colorado, pardoned in 2011. (3/14/11, DPIC Update)
- Attend the March 25th Benefit Concert for the CADP Foundation
Join us for a benefit concert on Friday, March 25, 2011 at the Mercury Cafe. Bring your dancin' shoes and come hear music by Phoenix Rising. The doors open at 7:45 p.m. Help the Coloradans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Foundation, while also having a great time. Don't wait and pay more at the door - buy tickets today. (2/28/11, CADP)
- Ft. Collins Cop Pleads Innocent to Perjury in Tim Masters Murder Case
Police Lt. Jim Broderick told a district judge Friday he is prepared to prove his innocence against claims that he manufactured a murder case against Tim Masters. (2/5/11, The Denver Post)
- Alejandro Perez Verdict: A Stunning Rebuke of Carol Chambers' Death-Penalty Chase?
Last week's acquittal of Alejandro Perez in the murder of another inmate at the Limon Correctional Facility provides fresh ammo for critics of Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers, whose determination to seek the death penalty for a prison gang homicide has resulted in a six-year debacle of prosecutorial missteps and defeats. It's tough enough to get a death-penalty verdict in Colorado. It's even tougher when the case is so troubled you can't get a conviction to stick. (2/2/11, Westword)
- Sr. Helen Prejean Speaking at St. Andrew on February 25
St. Andrew is delighted to welcome Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents. Sister Helen uses the lens of capital punishment to understand racism, classism and the unequal application of the constitution and human rights in America. Get PDF event flyer for ticket information. (1/19/11, CADP)
- January 27-28 Come Hear Sam Millsap in Denver
Sam Millsap, a former Texas prosecutor, is a speaker you don't want to miss: During his time as a district attorney, Millsap prosecuted capital cases, sent men to death row and ultimately to execution. His experiences have led him to rethink the use of the death penalty. He offers a strong critique of how the death penalty's failures affect our criminal justice system as a whole. Get PDF event flyer for more information. (1/12/11, CADP)
- January 26 Film Screening & Discussion: A Catholic Perspective on the Death Penalty
All are invited to a one-hour screening of the documentary No Tomorrow followed by discussion on the Catholic Church's teaching on the death penalty with Dr. Christian Brugger, author of Capital Punishment and Roman Catholic Moral Tradition and professor of moral theology at Denver's St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Get PDF event flyer for more information. (1/19/11, CADP)
- Executed Colorado Man Pardoned 72 Years Later
Outgoing Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has handed down the state's first posthumous pardon to a developmentally disabled man, Joe Arridy, who was executed in 1939. KUSA's Cheryl Preheim reports for NBC News. Watch the video. (1/9/11, MSNBC)
- Colorado Governor Pardons Mistakenly-Executed Retarded Man
Gov. Bill Ritter granted a full and unconditional posthumous pardon Friday to Pueblo native Joe Arridy, who was convicted of killing a 15-year-old girl and was executed in 1939. ..."Granting a posthumous pardon is an extraordinary remedy," Ritter said in a news release. "But the tragic conviction of Mr. Arridy and his subsequent execution on Jan. 6, 1939, merit such relief based on the great likelihood that Mr. Arridy was, in fact, innocent of the crime for which he was executed, and his severe mental disability at the time of his trial and execution. Pardoning Mr. Arridy cannot undo this tragic event in Colorado history. It is in the interests of justice and simple decency, however, to restore his good name." (1/8/11, Pueblo Chieftain)
- Regis University Posts "Exoneree Tour"
Interview Videos
The Regis University Media Services Department
has posted video interviews with Derrick
Jamison, Shabaka WaQlimi, and Randy Steidl
to the University's iTunes U site. These
three death row exonerees spoke on this
fall's death row Exoneree
Tour, which was
cosponsored by Coloradans for Alternatives
to the Death Penalty and Witness for Innocence. View
still photos from the Exoneree Tour.
The videos
of Regis' Peace & Justice Studies
program interviews are available for free
public viewing for academic and educational
purposes; only the free cross-platform
iTunes application
is required for viewing.
View
the video interviews. (1/2/11,
CADP)
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