American Civil Liberties Union

Marijuana report: Racial disparity of pot arrests not as bad in Colorado as in most of U.S.

The title of a report from the ACLU -- "The War on Marijuana in Black and White: Billions of Dollars Wasted on Racially Biased Arrests" -- gives a good indication of its contents. The authors argue that the war on pot is a waste of money and African-Americans are disproportionately victimized by it ... More >>

Marijuana magazines as porn rule declared unconstitutional by state attorney general

Last week, attorney David Lane, representing High Times and other publications, sued the state over a new marijuana-law provision that treats pot magazines like porn. Days later, the ACLU filed its own suit against the passage on behalf of newsstands and booksellers such as the Tattered Cover. Both ... More >>

Marijuana-magazines-as-porn law target of new lawsuit -- from booksellers and ACLU

Last week, we told you about a lawsuit filed by several pot publications over a portion of a newly signed law that essentially treats marijuana magazines like porn. Now, this portion of the statute has attracted another suit, which tackles the issue from a different angle. The plaintiffs this time ... More >>

4/20 at CU-Boulder: Legal action in attempt to block campus closure?

Last year, CU-Boulder closed its campus on April 20 in an attempt to squelch the annual 4/20 event -- and the university, whose spokesman deems the 2012 shutdown a great success, plans to repeat the feat next month. Can anything stop this action? Well, the ACLU of Boulder is asking the school to re ... More >>

ACLU sues Colorado Springs for panhandling ban, says it violates free speech rights

In what's called an effort to support the economic vitality of downtown Colorado Springs and stop panhandling, the city passed an ordinance this week that bans solicitation. But the law is so broad that it violates the First Amendment. At least that's the interpretation of the American Civil Liberti ... More >>

Sexy letters -- and Men's Health? -- banned by new prison censorship rule

A recent push by state prison officials to crack down on the sexual content of inmates' mail has greatly expanded the range of books and magazines intercepted by prison censors, including such staid fare as Rolling Stone and Men's Health. The move has also prompted complaints from inmates' loved one ... More >>

Boy Scouts' homosexuality ban: ACLU touts planned Boulder schools policy change

The Boy Scouts of America have reaffirmed a ban of gays from participation as organization members or leaders. This move prompted the ACLU of Boulder to renew an old complaint over the Boulder Valley School District allowing scout groups to use its facilities at free or discounted rates despite its ... More >>

ACLU, Arapahoe County Sheriff debate mysterious "Gypsy scams" warning

Within the past month, with the explanation that "spring and summer are very active times for Gypsy-related criminal activities," a letter has circulated under the auspices of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office warning area residents against "Gypsy Scams." When the warning reached attorneys at the ... More >>

Alex Landau beating: Denver cops puts case on pause as FBI investigates

Update below: Alex Landau talks about the news. Three years-plus since Alex Landau was beaten bloody after being pulled over for what officers cited as an illegal left turn, and a year since he was

These days, schools ignore gay bullying at their own peril

Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act: Mason Tvert on campaign's allies, challenges

Update: Now that the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act has been approved for the November ballot (get more details below), proponent Mason Tvert is busily lining up allies for what should be among the season's most interesting campaigns -- and at a 2 p.m. news conference, he'll be introducing thre ... More >>

Junius Puke inspired bill to kill criminal libel, senator says

In 2003, Greeley Police officers arrived at the home that then-UNC student Tom Mink shared with his mom, confiscating his computer and more because of complaints about his portrayal of professor Junius Peake as "Junius Puke" in his fledgling Internet publication, The Howling Pig. Eight years and a ... More >>

Tom Mink on $425K settlement in Howling Pig/"Junius Puke" case

"Junius Puke."​Update: Yesterday marked exactly eight years since officers in Greeley arrived at the home then-UNC student Tom Mink shared with his mom, confiscating his computer and more because of complaints about the way he'd portrayed a professor in his fledgling Internet publication, The ... More >>

Occupy Denver: ACLU reacts to restiction against recording during court appearances

​Westword has been present at every Sunday-morning arraignment related to Occupy Denver arrests. It was only this past Sunday, however, that I was forbidden by the court from recording anything while inside. The recent ban on anyone other than lawyers taking notes on the arrests and bond rates ... More >>

Michael DeHerrera, victim of police beating, can't get a job because arrest still on record

The beating.​Earlier this month, we spoke to Michael DeHerrera and his father, Anthony, about their displeasure over the reinstatement of two cops fired for beating Michael in 2009. But Michael is dealing with more than disappointment. His dad says he can't get a job because that two-year-old ... More >>

Police roundup at DNC leads to $200,000 settlement: Inside the protest, trial (PHOTOS)

Big pics below.​Kim Sidwell didn't attend a protest at the 2008 Democratic National Convention to rail against the man. She's a photographer who simply wanted to capture the scene in images. Instead, she herself was captured -- arrested, detained and put on trial. Later, Sidwell joined an ACLU ... More >>

Breast-milk pumping results in job loss?: ACLU takes action on behalf of Heather Burgbacher

​Did a Jefferson County charter school decide not to renew the contract of veteran teacher Heather Burgbacher because she pumped breast milk at work? That's the contention of the ACLU of Colorado, which has taken legal action on Burgbacher's behalf that could lead to a lawsuit against Jeffco ... More >>

Reader: Immigration raid at Wildcat Dairy's only flaw is that more illegals weren't busted

​Our post about an immigration raid in Morgan Count -- one decried by a local activist -- continues to generate passionate posts. Here's one from a reader upset that more people weren't taken into custody.

Top 10 flipping the bird moments in honor of Shane Boor, whose finger case has been dropped

​Shane Boor, who faced harassment charges for flipping off a state trooper, is free to let his finger fly again. The Colorado State Patrol requested that the matter be dropped after the ACLU let it be known the organization would defend Boor's right to express himself digitally -- just like th ... More >>

Shane Boor, busted for flipping the bird at state trooper, to be defended by ACLU

​During a recent drive to work, Shane Boor indulged in one of America's favorite pastimes: He flipped someone the bird. Trouble is, the person he aimed it at was a Colorado State Patrol officer so unamused that he had a fellow trooper track Boor down and give him a criminal summons. Enter the ... More >>

Police brutality is killing us, says ACLU of Colorado

Alexander Landau.​"Police Brutality is Killing Us." That was the stark message, laid out in black-and-white, in the editorial pages of the Denver Post yesterday. But this wasn't an editorial: It was an ad placed by the America Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, part of a new Race to Justice ca ... More >>

Overland High School newspaper threatened with closure to survive after ACLU complaints

The editors.​Last week, two editors of The Scout, the Overland High School student newspaper, appeared with representatives of the ACLU of Colorado to protest actions of the school's principal, who was said to have ordered the pub to shut down for the year and removed its faculty adviser over ... More >>

Jose Sanchez lawsuit alleges Denver Police Department bias, says ACLU director

Flickr​Despite the firing of officers involved in the Michael DeHerrera beating, the Denver Police Department continues to be a criticism target. The latest example: an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit (read it below) filed on behalf of Jose Sanchez. Among other things, it alleges DPD bi ... More >>

Seth Brigham's $10,000 payment for dropping trou: Did it influence Boulder decorum rules?

Seth Brigham under arrest.​Seth Brigham's nipple-baring appearance at a Boulder City Council meeting in February to (sort of) protest a proposed nudity ordinance that would have banned female nipples displays led to Brigham's arrest -- an action that recently cost Boulder $10,000. But did it a ... More >>

Inmate postcards: "Having wonderful crime, wish you were here"

This is NOT a mail truck.​Jailers in Boulder and Colorado Springs have cracked down on inmate mail, banning personal letters and limiting prisoners to postcards that staff can monitor and intercept if the communication is objectionable. County officials say the practice saves money and makes t ... More >>

In Phoenix, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's reign of terror becomes state policy, thanks to state Senator Russell Pearce and Governor Jan Brewer

Bare breasts in Boulder: ACLU says topless gardener controversy shouldn't lead to female nipple ban

Should these (as seen in "There's Something About Mary") be illegal in Boulder?​Yesterday, we told you about Boulder's Catharine Pierce, 52, whose decision to garden topless in her front yard, which is located near a pre-K through 12th grade school, stirred complaints and police calls even tho ... More >>

Should exposing the areola of a nipple be illegal in Boulder? The ACLU says "no"

Last month, Boulder district attorney Stan Garnett (who weighs in today about medical marijuana) argued that the Boulder City Council should pass what he called "a simple public-nudity ordinance" regarding participants in events like the World Naked Bike Ride and the Naked Pumpkin Run. That way, sco ... More >>

The Boulder police try to unfriend a Boulder Mall Crawl Facebook page

Is taking part in the Naked Pumpkin Run a crime?

During an interview for last week's blog about criticism of the Boulder Police Department's efforts to squelch a revival of the Boulder Mall Crawl this Halloween, Judd Golden, chapter chair of the Boulder County American Civil Liberties Union, mentioned another event expected to bust out that night: ... More >>

Court case saves Headed West hookah mural

The mural in question.​ Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland could hardly be more mainstream. Children of all ages have read it for decade upon decade, Disney made an animated version during the Truman administration, and there'll likely be another burst of interest in the material when directo ... More >>

Gitmo and beer: Together again for the first time

​Although ProgressNow Colorado's Michael Huttner lived through a grilling by Fox News' Neil Cavuto, he likely made few converts among the cable net's mondo-conservative viewership. The Colorado branch of the American Civil Liberties Union is hoping for a friendlier audience for "Gitmo Revealed ... More >>

"Sloppy Police Work" and the Denver Jail

Redacted: Denver jail loves its Sharpie

Dani Newsum to Leave Colorado Inside Out

Democratic National Convention In-Security

ACLU Files DNC Lawsuit Against Feds

Cycle Killer

Why is the city putting the brakes on the Derailer Bike Collective?

The Gangs All Here

What's in a name?

The Message

Art of the Matter

Off Limits

Johns TV redux

Smart Bombs

There's nothing intelligent about the way the DPD kept its spy files.

Target Practice

A class-action suit becomes a vehicle for racial justice.

The Boys Next Door

In the rush to ban sex offenders, cities and counties may inadvertently be creating more of them down the line.

Off Limits

SLAPP Shot

The ACLU jumps into Warren Hern's battle with Ken Scott.

Strange but True

This Jail for Hire

Colorado's cheap solution to prison overcrowding has cost inmates plenty. It could cost the state millions.

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