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Appeals court orders new Weld County murder trial after judge refused to give self-defense instruction
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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Appeals court orders new Weld County murder trial after judge refused to give self-defense instruction

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics Colorado's second-highest court on Thursday decided a Weld County judge should have instructed jurors to consider whether a man accused of murder acted in self-defense, given that some evidence at the crime scene supported that theory. Jurors convicted Kenneth James Hoschouer III in 2021 of murdering his friend, Christopher Grau, at Grau's residence in Firestone two years earlier. The prosecution's evidence showed Hoschouer was intoxicated, angry and had the murder weapon concealed in his home after the killing. Hoschouer received 48 years in prison. On appeal, Hoschouer claimed there were numerous errors with his trial, including his inability to have jurors consider the possibility of self-defense. READ THE FULL STORY ...
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Q&A: Affordability is big priority for House Republican Leader Rose Pugliese
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Q&A: Affordability is big priority for House Republican Leader Rose Pugliese

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics With the 2025 session underway, Colorado Politics caught up with House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese on her priorities and expectations. The answers have been slightly edited. Colorado Politics: What is your top priority for this session? Rose Pugliese: My top priority is increasing affordability for Colorado families. Rising costs for housing, groceries, and childcare are placing immense financial pressure on hardworking families, and we must take action to address these challenges. By reducing taxes and fees and advancing policies that make everyday life more affordable, we can ensure that every family has the opportunity to thrive. Additionally, I remain committed to protecting children and families by advocating for policies t...
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Its back to the future for some bills that failed to advance in last year’s session
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Its back to the future for some bills that failed to advance in last year’s session

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics The 2024 legislative session ended with some unfinished business for some lawmakers, a few of whom have decided to give their previously unsuccessful bills another shot. While some measures have undergone changes based on feedback from last year, others remain the same. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Eckman: Dolores Canyon monument designation seeks to solve nonexistent problem
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coloradopolitics.com, Commentary

Eckman: Dolores Canyon monument designation seeks to solve nonexistent problem

By Adam Eckman | Commentary, Colorado Politics The recent proposal to designate lands in the Dolores River region as a national monument is a flawed initiative that directly conflicts with the interests of both Colorado and the nation. It also faces strong opposition from local communities. Though framed as a means to protect the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Dolores Canyons in Western Colorado, this move to invoke expansive federal authority to designate more than 400,000 acres as a national monument would jeopardize national security, undermine our energy independence, hinder technological progress, prevent Colorado from contributing to its carbon-free energy objectives, and — paradoxically — damage the very land it seeks to preserve. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY ...
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Error-prone Douglas County judge returns to bench after chief justice OK’s part-time service
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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Error-prone Douglas County judge returns to bench after chief justice OK’s part-time service

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A retired Douglas County judge is now back on the bench, despite the state's appellate court overturning convictions and sentences in numerous criminal cases she handled due to her errors. District Court Judge Patricia Herron stepped down from active service in December 2023. But in October, Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez signed a contract permitting Herron to continue handling cases as a part-time senior judge. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Three weeks after 13th Judicial District judge was retained by 14% margin, Supreme Court suspended him
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Three weeks after 13th Judicial District judge was retained by 14% margin, Supreme Court suspended him

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics The Colorado Supreme Court suspended a trial judge late last year, while ordering the state's judicial discipline commission to keep it informed of the developments in the judge's investigation. District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein presides in the 13th Judicial District, consisting of Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson counties. The Supreme Court's Nov. 25 order suspended Haenlein with pay, and cited the rule of judicial discipline allowing for judges under investigation to agree to a temporary suspension. The order contained no further details about the nature of the proceedings, only an instruction for the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline to update the Supreme Court every 45 days until t...
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Weld County Republican legislators seek to repeal Colorado’s ‘cage-free’ eggs law
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Weld County Republican legislators seek to repeal Colorado’s ‘cage-free’ eggs law

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A pair of Republican lawmakers are seeking to repeal Colorado's "cage-free" eggs law, which went into full effect at the start of the year, citing the commodity's price has increased more than any other food tracked.   Under 2020's House Bill 1343, all eggs sold in Colorado are required to come from cage-free chickens starting on Jan. 1, 2025.  This year's House Bill 1074, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Gonzalez, R-Greeley, and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, would repeal that law. The bill, which was introduced on Jan. 8, has been assigned to the Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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‘This is unacceptable’: Review of former CBI DNA scientist’s 10,786 cases causes rape evidence logjam
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coloradopolitics.com, State

‘This is unacceptable’: Review of former CBI DNA scientist’s 10,786 cases causes rape evidence logjam

By Jenny Deam | Colorado Politics, via The Gazette The time to process a rape kit in Colorado has now nearly doubled, leaving victims in limbo due to the continuing scandal at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the director of the embattled agency told lawmakers Wednesday. While in November 2023 it took an average of 275 days to analyze the DNA evidence in a sexual assault case at the forensic lab, it now takes on average 517 days, admitted CBI Director Chris Schaefer in testimony before the legislature's joint judiciary committee. "This is unacceptable," Schaefer acknowledged. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado firefighters head west to help battle devastating California wildfires
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado firefighters head west to help battle devastating California wildfires

By O'Dell Isaac | Colorado Politics, via The Gazette A group of Colorado firefighters has deployed to California to join an interagency effort to battle several wildfires currently ravaging the southern part of the state. At least five fires, covering more than 45 square miles in the greater Los Angeles area, have killed at least five people, destroyed at least 10,000 structures, and forced nearly 180,000 people from their homes, according to multiple reports. As California crews work to get these blazes under control, the state’s emergency management agencies have requested aid from several other states, including Colorado. According to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, engines and crews from Castle Rock, Four Mile, Stratmoor Hills, Hartsel, and Southern Arkan...
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Colorado’s large city mayors urge governor, lawmakers not to take away local control to combat crime
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado’s large city mayors urge governor, lawmakers not to take away local control to combat crime

By Luige Del Puerto | Colorado Politics, via The Gazette The mayors of Colorado's three largest cities on Thursday urged Gov. Jared Polis and lawmakers to focus on housing, the economy, and public safety. They notably urged state policymakers to ensure that municipalities retain the flexibility to combat crime. Mayors Mike Johnston of Denver, Mike Coffman of Aurora and Yemi Mobolade of Colorado Springs urged cooperation between the state and cities, implicitly saying legislators should avoid passing policies that would curtail their ability to adopt additional criminal penalties. "Cities must retain the ability to implement solutions that are responsive to community concerns and assign appropriate sentences when crimes are committed," the mayors said in a joint opinion piece. "It ...
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