Tag: Courts
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Closing arguments delivered in Lumumba Sayers Sr. murder trial
Witness credibility themes dominated the closing arguments of both sides in the murder trial of Lumumba Sayer’s Sr., who is alleged to have shot and killed a man out of revenge for his murdered son. Victim Malcolm Watson’s family members swiftly exited the Adams County District courtroom as defense attorney Megan Downing told the jury…
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Denver man’s conviction for baby’s murder overturned after 27 years
A Denver man convicted of murdering a 4-month-old girl had his conviction overturned Tuesday and was released after being imprisoned for 27 years. Stephen Martinez, 58, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2000. He had been arrested in October 1998, shortly after the death of Heather Mares, the child of his then-girlfriend. Martinez confessed to…
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DougCo commissioners challenging open meetings violation
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners is challenging a recent court decision that found the board violated Colorado Open Meetings Law. County commissioners filed a petition Thursday seeking a rehearing from the Colorado Court of Appeals. On April 2, the appellate court ruled that a trial court erred in rejecting a preliminary injunction that would…
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Man gets nearly century-long prison sentence after shooting up Greeley bar
A man was sentenced to 96 years in prison this week after he was convicted of firing 59 shots into a Greeley bar after being kicked out. Jimmy Cazares, 33, was convicted by a jury in February of committing the shooting, which happened in November 2024 at Wyler’s Pub and Brew in the 2300 block…
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Colorado House committee advances Democratic bill to reduce penalties for ‘extreme indifference’ murder
Lawmakers on the Colorado House Judiciary Committee narrowly passed a bill proposing changes to the state’s sentencing guidelines for murders facilitated with “extreme indifference to the value of human life.” Colorado is one of several states with this type of charge, which applies when someone causes another person’s death by doing something they know is…
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Defense points to missing ghost gun, another man in Lumumba Sayers Sr. murder trial
A 3D-printed gun and a man in a tan tracksuit were details that led the defense’s opening arguments in Lumumba Sayers Sr.’s murder trial. Sayers Sr., a former MMA fighter and Aurora anti-violence activist, appeared in the Adams County District Courtroom Tuesday morning in a gray suit. He looked frail, significantly smaller than the weight…
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Aurora anti-violence activist’s murder trial begins
The murder trial of a former MMA fighter and Aurora-based anti-violence activist began with jury selection in an Adams County District courtroom Monday morning. There was a pool of around 100 residents for the trial of 47-year-old Lumumba Sayers Sr. By the afternoon, the defense and prosecution hadn’t even begun asking jurors questions. Opening arguments…
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How an ex-Parker police sergeant went from commendations to handcuffs
Former Rotary Officer of the Year Troy Brienzo indicted by grand jury on sexual assault charges Looking at his record, Sgt. Troy Brienzo appeared to be a leader and model officer in the Parker Police Department. The 31-year-old Army veteran received multiple commendations and awards throughout his nearly 10-year career with the department, with some…
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Former Parker officer groped female in youth program he was once member of, indictment says
Warning: this article contains graphic descriptions of sexual activity. A former Parker Police Department sergeant arrested on sexual misconduct charges last week allegedly groped a female member of a youth program he was once in himself, according to court documents. During a one-on-one ride-along in early January, Sgt. Troy Brienzo, 31, a mentor of the…
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Man sentenced for fatal Wheat Ridge DUI crash that killed mother
A 35-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for hitting and killing a woman while driving drunk in Wheat Ridge last year. Jefferson County District Judge Phillip McNulty sentenced Jian Bin Chen to 12 years in prison on April 3 for the DUI crash that killed Jody Chavez in Wheat Ridge on…