District Attorney Carol Chambers said she has been slandered in a civil court case filed by an Aurora police sergeant.
“They’re accusing me of committing a Class 3 felony,” said Chambers, the DA in the 18th Judicial District. “This is an attempt to smear my name so I’ll back off. The fact is, I don’t intend to. This is slander. I am not going to back off of that.”
Attorneys for Sgt. Brian Saupe say Chambers broke the law by threatening and harassing witnesses who testified in a court hearing last week.
“We believe that it is inappropriate conduct, a concerted effort on her part to misuse her position to carry out a personal vendetta,” said Marc Colin, Saupe’s attorney, who on Monday filed a complaint with Judge J. Mark Hannen, who is hearing the case.
Specifically, the complaint accuses Chambers of sending an e-mail Friday morning to more than 30 law enforcement and public officials that contained a threat of “criminal investigation and prosecution of one of plaintiff’s subpoenaed witnesses.”
Saupe is embroiled in a civil case against Chambers, trying to stop her office from sending out letters that say Saupe has a questionable past. Chambers maintains that using Saupe as a witness in a criminal case could be damaging for the prosecution.
Two years ago, Saupe was acquitted of a crime that Chambers prosecuted as a deputy DA. Chambers continues to alert defense attorneys that Saupe’s internal affairs file contains information about his alleged unethical behavior.
Chambers’ e-mail on Friday explains her distrust of Saupe and her opinion that his testimony would present a prosecution problem.
“I want other police agencies to know the facts,” she explained Monday. “I want them to know that I am not being vindictive to this police officer. We have 22 police agencies. My relationship with each one is important. I want them to know I am not throwing an officer under a bus. There is a reason for this.”
In the e-mail, Chambers also says Aurora police legal adviser Jack Byron, called as a witness, “produced fewer than 10 pages of documents” of Saupe’s internal affairs file that is reported to be 3 feet thick.
“I anticipate some repercussions,” she ended the e-mail.
Saupe’s attorney says Chambers’ e-mail “can only be seen as an attempt to harass, influence and retaliate against these witnesses for testifying.”
“It’s a ridiculous allegation,” Chambers said. “I am amazed by this move.”
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer may be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
