Yesterday, May 25, Governor Bill Ritter signed legislation that will change the way DUI and drug cases are handled in the Colorado legal system. The changes are meant to treat repeat DUI offenses more seriously and also increase the reliance on rehabilitation services for addicts consistently involved in the legal system.
Study: Minority Kids Treated Unfairly in Colorado's Legal System
The Colorado Independent and members of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar recently attempted a study that would reveal the demographic details of the Colorado youths who are tried as adults for drug crimes, violent crimes and other various offenses.
Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Teen Sexting Case
A federal lawsuit filed by the teenage girl at the center of a Pennsylvania sexting scandal could be a major turning point on an issue that has garnered confusion and criticism across the country. The woman in question, who is now nineteen, claims that high school officials went much farther than legally allowed in taking her cell phone and searching for nude pictures on it.
Colorado Women Face Felony Charges Following Bike Race Swap
Earlier this year, Wendy Lyall stood before nearly 1,000 spectators to receive her second-place medal in the 40-49-year-old division of the Leadville Trail 100. The high-profile mountain bike race, which takes place every year in the small town of Leadville, Colorado, has limited space and to race in it - let alone place - is a big deal.
In Larimer County, Colorado, Repeat DUI Offenders May Get a Break
Sheriff Jim Alderden has set jail capacity for the Larimer County Sheriff's Detention Center at 460 inmates, though he has had a hard time sticking to that number. Since January, the population at county's jail has swelled to nearly 500 individuals - an unsustainable stretch on space and resources.
New Colorado Sex Offender Bill Headed for the State Senate
House Bill 10-1364, a controversial piece of legislature extending Colorado's Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB), is up for a final review by the state Senate after receiving some last minute changes. The main thrust of the bill, to extend the SOMB for another five years, was met with little resistance. Rather, contention surrounding the original bill centered on a bit of modified language pertaining to the Sex Offender Management Board's directive, removing language supporting the theory that there is "no known cure" for sex offenders.This was an important omission because, in Colorado, those convicted of sex offenses are offered treatment based on the assumption that there is no known cure for their condition. To remove this from the board's directive could have put much-needed treatment programs in jeopardy.
DUI-Related Accident Results in Four-Year Prison Sentence
An Eaton, Colorado, man was recently sentenced to four years in prison in connection with a DUI-related car accident occurring in December of 2009.
Colorado DUI Targeted with Smartphone App, Other States Follow
In late 2009, an iPhone application entitled "R U Buzzed?" was launched by the Colorado Department of Transportation to lessen the number of DUI offenses in the state. Since becoming available, the application has been downloaded by thousands of iPhone users across the country.
Colorado Marijuana Grower to Battle Federal Drug Charges in Court
In Colorado, the cultivation and sale of marijuana for medical use is legal - it's even written into the state constitution. Enacted in 2000, Colorado's medical marijuana amendment allows those with diseases such as cancer to purchase and use the drug.
