Three years ago, Alex Landau became a symbol of sorts for racial inequality and police brutality in Denver. Three years ago, Denver police officers pulled Landau over for an alleged illegal left turn, and it was not long after that they beat him bloody. But that was three years ago,…
The use of private prisons by states and the federal government continues to increase, yielding billions in annual revenues for two dominant companies in the industry — despite a lack of solid research that America’s experiment with for-profit incarceration actually saves taxpayers money in the long run…
Should peace officers be certified after passing a take-home exam? The answer to that question is provided by the prosecution of Julie Carleen Johnson-Garcia, who allegedly allowed two wannabe cops who’d flunked a pair of previous tests to take the third at home. And that’s not all…
Three years ago on Sunday, police officers pulled over Alex Landau, then nineteen, for taking an illegal left turn onto Emerson. They then beat him bloody. Although Landau received one of the city’s largest police brutality settlements in May — $795,000 — his story remains a chilling example of racial…
Our most recent choice for Shmuck of the Week was Englewood teacher Alexandra McLean, who allegedly cozied up to a student in a car following a performance of Lend Me a Tenor. Shocking? Sure, but not all that surprising. The last year has included an unfair share of local reports…
Last summer’s wild multi-state crime spree by the Dougherty Gang — two scary-looking brothers and their stripper sister — understandably drew some superheated media coverage, what with Lee-Grace Dougherty’s online bikini shots and all. But the story fizzled shortly after the trio’s brief rampage ended in a police chase and…
At first, the June 2009 murder of Billy Ortiz, age 21, seemed apt to be lost in the shuffle. But pressure from his family and friends kept the heat on. Now, at last, Richard Impellizine, 22, has been found guilty of what the indictment against him portrays as an incredibly…
The Denver coroner has released the final homicide list for 2011 — a somber roster with 47 names on it, ranging from the well-known (Kenia Monge, nineteen, slain by Travis Forbes) and boarder Brandon Sigalaf to individuals that may never have seen print until this post. Look below and page…
The murder-suicide of William Ahrold and his nine-year-old son, Jackson, was undeniably horrific. But Jerod Reeves and Kimberly McCaffrey added to the awful scene in a grisly way, by sawing off Ahrold’s fingers in order to make off with the gun still frozen in his grasp. And this isn’t speculation…
Lafayette’s Allyson Stone, 44, has been at the center of two bizarre stories over the past few years. First, she was seriously injured by a dachshund named Spork while working as a vet tech — an incident that prompted a campaign to prevent the aging pet from being dubbed a…
When Alexandra Elizabeth McLean was hired last summer to take over as the new drama teacher at Englewood High School, she probably wanted to make her mark. After all, she was replacing a guy who had been there for three decades before retiring. She did — by banging one of…
On October 28, 2010, a 26-year-old inmate named Terrell Griswold was found slumped over and unresponsive in his cell in the Bent County Correctional Facility, a private prison in southeastern Colorado. The official cause of death is listed as cardiac hypertrophy, or an enlarged heart. But Lagalia Afola says the…
In January 2003’s “The War Within,” Westword’s Julie Jargon shared tales of female Air Force Academy attendees allegedly raped by fellow cadets amid a culture that didn’t take such crimes seriously enough. And unfortunately, the war’s not over. Similar charges against three more cadets have surfaced, and reports suggest that…
Update: The Denver coroner’s office has now identified the city’s first 2012 homicide victim as Stephanie Hope, a 28-year-old from Westminster. She was pronounced dead at 2:29 a.m. on New Year’s Day of a “penetrating gunshot wound to the chest.” Kevin Carter has been arrested in connection with the crime…
Every artist wants viewers to react to their work. In that sense, Carmen Tisch appears to be a dream come true — albeit one that turned nightmarish. Tisch is accused of scratching, punching, rubbing her butt against and urinating near a Clyfford Still painting valued at more than $30 million…
A vanity license plate reading STAYCLN hints at several possible interpretations. A desire to keep the vehicle nice and shiny, perhaps, or maybe a suggestion to others to watch their language. But if Kenneth Cline also saw it as a sign to stay sober, he may have to reconsider following…
Update: After Abraham Lincoln High School coach Oscar Ponce was charged with sexually assaulting a teen last month, plenty of folks were shocked at the accusations — and no wonder, since he was widely viewed as a role model. But when a second allegation surfaced, he disappeared — and according…
Update below: While suspects have either been captured or named in the holiday-season slayings of Andrea Roan and Elia Anastacio, there have been no such developments released in the December 26 murder of Youn Malual. Meanwhile, the extended Sudanese community is continuing to rally around loved ones left behind by…
Today, we checked in with Denver Police Department spokesman Sonny Jackson regarding the whereabouts of Crisanto Tirso-Jiminez, 35, who’s wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of Elia Anastacio. According to Jackson, Tirso-Jiminez remains at large — and he’s thought to be hiding south of the border…
And you thought you had a crazy year. Getting jiggy with a student at a Baptist school, driving a scooter without a license in Miami, possessing four grams of cocaine in Aspen, threatening to shoot out a Best Buy in Aurora over a video game and literally getting shit on…
While a three-year-old’s shooting of a five-year-old may have been the holiday season’s most shocking violent death, it was hardly the only one. Another tragic incident involved elementary school teacher Andrea Roan, who was allegedly slain by Ryan Miller, her estranged boyfriend, with Richard Leavitt accused of providing an assist…
It was a bloody holiday season, but there’s little doubt which crime was the most startling — the death of Rolyn Javier, age five, at the hands of a three-year-old wielding a loaded gun allegedly left out by Adam Laham, 23. Laham’s slated to be back in court tomorrow for…
