John Kane

Wayne McDonald firing: Lawsuit against Mayor Michael Hancock rejected

A federal lawsuit against Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and other city officials, filed by one of Hizzoner's former best buds and top advisors, has been dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge John Kane -- just when filings in the case were getting interesting. Ex-aide Wayne McDonald's complaint of w ... More >>

Operation Cock Block's Bill Sullivan calls for dismissal of Ponzi scheme case against him

Bill Sullivan, the subject of our bad-boyfriend story "Operation Cock Block," is now claiming he's innocent of participating in a $15.7 million Ponzi scheme. "The preponderance of facts support a dismissal of the case against Defendant Sullivan and all monies in his accounts unfrozen and returned ... More >>

Bill Sullivan: Judge rejects settlement in fraud case against Operation Cock Block target

It seems that Bill Sullivan, the subject of our story "Operation Cock Block," isn't out of trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission just yet. A federal judge has rejected an effort to settle the fraud case against Sullivan and another man, Michael Turnock, who are accused of carrying out ... More >>

Twenty years later, there's still much we don't know about Rocky Flats

Supreme Court justices are silent -- and shmucky -- on Rocky Flats decision

For years, people living around the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant wondered if the secret operations at that facility could somehow be endangering the health of people and animals living nearby. And the FBI's spectacular dawn raid of Rocky Flats in June 1989, certainly didn't do much for propert ... More >>

Rocky Flats property owners won't get their $924 million, Supreme Court says

Plutonium lasts forever, and so do the legal actions emanating from Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant, which operated sixteen miles upwind from Denver for close to forty years. Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reinstate the $926 million judgment that 12,000 property owners near the plan ... More >>

Police brutality: Denver provides eight years of complaints in James Moore case

When I spoke to attorney David Lane about the Adams County's $20,000 payout to prisoner Mario Ybarra, who was thumped by deputies after he gave them grief over a troublesome fingerprint device, I asked about his demand for every document related to excessive force complaints against Denver cops and ... More >>

Reader: Is that the sound of the City of Denver being bitch-slapped in police brutality cases?

In our post about Denver settling the Jason Graber police-brutality case, attorney David Lane argued that while officials bought time regarding release of past excessive-force complaints, they would be required to provide them for another case, by Judge John Kane's order. These assertions prompted t ... More >>

Jason Graber deal won't get Denver Police out of releasing excessive-force files, says David Lane

Update below: Attorney David Lane lauded Judge John Kane for threatening to fine the City of Denver if reps delayed releasing eight years of excessive-force complaints against cops and sheriff's deputies for the Jason Graber brutality case. Now, city attorneys have agreed to settle the Graber matter ... More >>

Righthaven ruling by Denver judge "stunning rebuke" of copyright troll, attorney says

This week, Judge John Kane, who ordered Denver to release eight years of excessive-force complaints, struck a blow against Righthaven LLC, the Las Vegas copyright-law firm that has been working for the Denver Post . And the attorney for one of the firm's most prominent targets -- chronically ill, au ... More >>

Jason Graber brutality case: David Lane lauds $5,000 daily fine threat over police records

Jason Graber.​In July, Judge John Kane, ruling in a brutality case brought by Jason Graber, ordered Denver to release every document related to excessive force complaints against cops and sheriff's deputies for eight years. "Further obstruction will not be tolerated," he added, and he meant it ... More >>

Police brutality: Attorney lauds order to release 8 years of complaints in Jason Graber case

Jason Graber.​Yesterday, Judge John Kane ordered Denver to release every document related to excessive force complaints against city police officers and sheriff's deputies for the past eight years and stated that "further obstruction will not be tolerated." Outspoken attorney David Lane cheers ... More >>

Preble's meadow jumping mouse conquers Wyoming -- again

​That gnashing of teeth and muttered cursing you hear is coming from energy companies and developers north of the state border. Last week, U.S. District Judge John L. Kane ruled that an obscure jumping mouse should be considered a threatened species not only in Colorado but in Wyoming, too -- ... More >>

Nick Lynch excessive-force complaint: New claim alleges Denver Police cover-up

Flickr​In our post about Nick Lynch's rejected excessive-force complaint against four Denver cops, Robert Liechty, Lynch's attorney, said this apparent loss allowed him to re-file the lawsuit on cover-up grounds. Liechty has now done just that. Look below to check out his explanation for diff ... More >>

Nick Lynch excessive-force complaint against Denver Police tossed, attorney charges cover-up

Flickr​Mere days after a jury considering an excessive-force lawsuit aimed at Officer Vicki Ferrari decided in favor of the Denver cop/ex-American Gladiators contestant, a similar complaint by Nick Lynch against four members of the DPD over a 2008 matter was rejected by Judge John Kane. Lynch' ... More >>

Fidel Ramos: The death of a prison activist

Fidel Ramos.​Fidel Ramos was a criminal and a drug addict. He was also a smart and fearless man who had a central role in forcing the State of Colorado to transform its prisons from hellholes into something more humane. Ramos, who died of a brain hemorrhage at Sterling Correctional Facility la ... More >>

Child-porn fan a good argument for No Known Cure

​Even as legislators were spinning their last-second vote that will let sex offenders choose their own treatment, and also removed the words "no known cure" when describing their crimes, Senior U.S. District Judge John Kane was chastising a clearly not-cured child-porn addict. Two years ago, ... More >>

Rocky Flats judgment appealed while plaintiffs wait... and wait

​Plutonium lasts forever, and so do legal cases involving Rocky Flats. Yesterday, 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges Stephen Anderson, Jerome Holmes and Michael Murphy heard arguments in the appeal of the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant class-action lawsuit -- filed by neighbors of t ... More >>

Mark Udall wanted Stephanie Villafuerte nomination to be more open, his aide says

Mark Udall's staffers swear he wasn't trying to hide anything.​Ever since Stephanie Villafuerte removed herself from the U.S. Attorney sweepstakes via an angry letter in which she expressed frustration about "a needless and extraneous political fight" that has "completely overshadowed the deli ... More >>

From the week of December 3, 2009

Before Ritter, Colorado's governors proved that clemency's risks came with rewards

Judge Finesilver almost gave the Rocky Flats grand jury a big twentieth birthday present

Twenty years ago, the Rocky Flats grand jury started its search for justice. It hasn't ended yet.

Christina Szele: Westword's favorite shmuck is back!

Christina Elizabeth Szele, in a mug shot that would do Nick Nolte proud. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of this face -- or at least that you hoped you had... Christina Elizabeth Szele has been recognized as Westword's Shmuck of the Week more often than anyone else. She first won this "honor" ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Fly-by celebs headed to prison

Joe Nacchio isn't the only one going to jail. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger denied Nacchio's request to remain out on bail pending a petition of his conviction to the Supreme Court. The former Qwest CEO, who ran a Denver-based company but kept his home in New Jersey, has been order ... More >>

Gag me with a ballot

Mike Coffman's office blinks -- sort of -- in disenfranchised voters lawsuit

A Rolling Stone report rocks the vote - and the boat - in the Colorado Secretary of State's Office

Szele just can't straighten up and fly right

Breaking News: Quiznos Franchisees Win Injunction

You're Toast!

Franchise owners thought they'd make a fortune serving the toasted sandwiches created by Quiznos. Instead, they got burned.

Hate the Sin

Dirty Pictures

This Rocky Flats movie gets glowing reviews.

Truth Decay

Rocky Flats is on trial. Finally.

Aped Artifacts

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum gets back to the future.

Best Reference to the Three Little Pigs in a Legal Ruling

U.S. District Judge John Kane

Letters to the Editor

From the week of December 13, 2001

Letters to the Editor

From the week of November 29, 2001

Disorder in the Court

Judge John Kane has seen too many casualties in the War on Drugs. Now he demands a government retreat.

Derailing Affirmative Action

Randy Pech says the government's disadvantaged business programs discriminated against his company. This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide if he's right.

Tilting at Windmills

What did the anti-JOA lawsuit produce? A couple of laughs.

A Tiger's Tale

Finally, the Denver JOA faces some real opposition -- but it's probably too little, too late.

Target Practice

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

The Slowpoke Report

Bench Pressed

The logjam in Denver's federal district court is one of the worst in the country. Blame Congress, Timothy McVeigh, greedy lawyers -- and judges who don't have time to judge.

Waiting to Exile

Once permanent U.S. residents, these "non-deportables" are now locked up in what should be no man's land.

Put Up or Shut Up

Want to fight a real estate development in Colorado? Be ready to pay to play.

Off Limits

Hush-Hush Money

An anti-Scientology activist claims that the church made him an offer he had to refuse: $12 million.

Safely Behind Bars

Prison life didn't suit prominent inmate activist Fidel Ramos, but parole was even worse.

STALKING THE NET

IN THE ONLINE BRAWL OVER SCIENTOLOGY, INTERNET USERS DISCOVER THAT VIRTUAL REALITY BITES BACK.SHOWDOWN IN CYBERSPACE THE BATTLE OVER SCIENTOLOGY'S SECRETS IGNITES A HOLY WAR ON THE INTERNET.