Shocking Fall of Famous Pot Lawyer Rob Corry

Rob Corry was once one of Colorado's most prominent attorneys, thanks largely to his work on behalf of marijuana reform. He helped write Amendment 64, the 2012 ballot measure that legalized recreational cannabis sales in the state, staged stunts like free joint giveaways to draw attention to pot-related issues, and was deeply involved in the previous version of the Denver 4/20 rally. He's also represented clients in legal cases that have nothing to do with marijuana, including Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, the 23-year-old Houston truck driver accused of causing an enormous crash on Interstate 70 that killed four people in April 2019.

But today, September 18, Corry is due in Denver District Court not to represent a client, but to defend himself. The hearing is one of five dates in the jurisdiction for Corry, including three days blocked out for a December jury trial — and they represent only part of a lengthy docket that includes five separate accusations in two states.

According to public documents, Corry faces two bond-revocation beefs for which warrants have been issued, a date in Denver County Court over a bizarre July 2019 sword fight and alleged violation of a protection order, and two cases out of Iowa stemming from a misdemeanor domestic-violence arrest on September 5 that resulted in the mug shot seen at the top of this post.

His fall from grace has been as shocking as it is bizarre.

Corry's rap sheet was substantial even before his latest brushes with the law. Four examples:

• In 1998, Corry was charged in Washington, D.C., with menacing some drinking buddies using a shotgun. For this offense, he served 35 days in jail.

• In 2006, he was accused of sexual assault. In that incident, a female friend with narcolepsy who'd been drinking wound up spending the night at the Arvada residence that Corry shared with his then-wife. The woman subsequently awakened to discover that a naked man was on top of her. She initially thought it was her boyfriend and began performing oral sex on him, only to discover moments later that the person in question was actually Corry, who later blamed his behavior on alcohol. He eventually pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and in January 2007 was sentenced to five years of probation and sixty days in jail. Corry is said to have served 44 days before being released early for good behavior, and he underwent treatment for substance abuse.

• In June 2013, cops nabbed Corry after he allegedly broke the window of a recreational vehicle.

• On September 25, 2013, at Coors Field, during the final home game of Colorado Rockies all-star Todd Helton, Corry was among several people seen publicly smoking marijuana. When an officer asked him to hand over his joint, according to the arrest affidavit, he replied, "No, I don't have to, it's legal." Other quotes attributed to him include: "I don't have any ID and don't have to give you shit"; "Oh, fuck off, cop. It's a citation only — public consumption"; "I am going back to my seat and watch the game"; "You're a stupid cop. You are going to make this easy for me. You can't search me. It's a citation only"; and "You can go wherever you want. I am getting my stupid citation for public smoking and going back to the game. You can fuck off and bring me my ticket."

• On June 14, 2019, Corry was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and more in connection with a crazy drive at Denver International Airport motivated by a supposed pursuit by Arabs with a helicopter. On July 2, he was handcuffed for allegedly waving a samurai-style sword at people near West Eighth Avenue and Acoma Street. And on September 27, he was contacted by two Denver police officers following a traffic accident with another occupied vehicle on the 1400 block of Downing. His so-called "indicia of impairment" included an all-caps roster: "SPEECH AS SLURRED/MUMBLING, BREATH HAD A STRONG ODOR OF AN UNKNOWN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, BALANCE WAS SWAYING/STAGGERING, EYES WERE BLOODSHOT/WATERY."

After Corry was placed in the "DUI room" at a nearby Denver police station, law enforcement officials discovered the existence of at least two protection orders, including a permanent one concerning the safety of his ex-wife. The findings led to Corry being briefly jailed last October, and First Judicial District DA Pete Weir filing paperwork questioning Corry's ability to properly defend Aguilera-Mederos for the I-70 crash. In May, Aguilera-Mederos formally obtained a new attorney.

As for the Iowa matter, we're withholding details in order to protect the privacy of the alleged victim. But it's safe to say that the circumstances described in court documents are as strange as those in the incidents outlined above, furthering Corry's transition from fame to infamy.

Corry has not responded to recent requests for comment from Westword.