$2 million suit filed over arrest injuries
Denver officials are declining to comment on a $2 million lawsuit planned by a Commerce City man who says he was seriously injured in an unprovoked attack by Denver and Aurora police.
Aurora officials were unavailable for comment on the claim by 37-year-old Thomas Charles Armstrong, who lapsed into a coma after the November incident and was hospitalized for more than two weeks.
“They beat an unarmed man who was walking while he was black,” said Walter Gerash, Armstrong’s lawyer. “They thought he was a suspect. For what, I don’t know.”
Denver police, who deny any wrongdoing, say Armstrong lunged at officer Daniel Swanson when the police officer saw him acting in a bizarre manner.
Police said Armstrong stopped breathing after he was handcuffed.
In a notice of intent to sue, Armstrong said he was walking to his girlfriend’s house from a convenience store when Swanson approached and handcuffed him.
Armstrong claims he repeatedly cried for help and when another Denver policeman and an Aurora officer arrived, he stopped breathing at least once.
In his notice of intent to sue, Armstrong said he “has suffered severe physical pain and suffering and has suffered severe and ongoing mental anguish and emotional distress.”
Earl Armstrong, his brother, alleges police took revenge against him for filing a complaint against police in 2003.
Smoky Hill High nabs a Science Bowl win
Students at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora took top honors during the Colorado High School Science Bowl competition Saturday at the Colorado School of Mines.
More than 40 student teams throughout the state answered questions about astronomy, biology, chemistry, math, physics, computers and the earth sciences.
This is the fourth science bowl win for Smoky Hill High School.
On April 27, the students will compete against other high school teams during the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C.
Conspirator in slaying has sentence trimmed
A conspirator in a 2000 triple homicide had two years shaved off his lengthy sentence Friday but failed to convince the judge that he was not culpable.
Jonathan Matheny, whose original sentence of 68 years was overturned by the Colorado Court of Appeals because sentence enhancements were improperly added, was ordered instead to serve 66 years through a recalculation of the penalties.
“It still lives with me every day. I’m going to be forever sorry, and there’s no way I can make it up to the family,” Matheny told District Court Judge Kenneth Plotz. “I don’t know how I can ever do anything to take the pain away.”
Prosecutors say Matheny, now 22, shot and killed Carl and Joanna Dutcher while accomplice Isaac Grimes cut the throat of their grandson, Tony Dutcher, at their rural Park County home on New Year’s Eve 2000.
But public defender Patrick Murphy argued that Matheny’s only involvement in the murders was in driving Grimes to and from Guffey and that no physical evidence – including more than 100 fingerprints and hair and fiber samples taken from the home – linked him to the crime scene.
Gun fired accidentally as man went over tree
A man who went missing for several days, prompting a massive search in Buckhorn Canyon, died when a shotgun accidentally fired as he crossed a downed tree, the Larimer County coroner’s office said Friday.
The body of Bart Strain, 30, a married father of one, was found Thursday in a heavily forested area near Donner Trail. He was last seen Jan. 31.
An autopsy Friday determined Strain died from a contact gunshot wound to the chest.
Low-income residents can get free tax help
As tax season gears up, Denver officials and local advocacy groups are pushing awareness of the state’s free tax-preparation sites and a federal tax credit, both for low-income residents.
Mayor John Hickenlooper and City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth joined The Piton Foundation, Mile High United Way and members of the Denver Asset Building Coalition last week to promote Denver’s 21 free preparation sites. Across the state, there are about 100.
Information is available at 800-829-1040 or denverabc.org.
The sites will focus on helping qualified Coloradans reap the benefits of the Earned Income Tax Credit for families that earned less than $37,263 in 2005 or singles who earned less than $11,750.
An estimated 15 percent of eligible taxpayers don’t receive the credit.
When seeking assistance at a free tax-preparation location, an individual should bring: Social Security cards or ITIN cards for all family members; all W-2, 1099 and/or other income forms; information for all deductions and credits if available; bank account and routing number, if seeking a direct deposit; your spouse, if filing jointly; and a copy of last year’s tax return, if available.
Rep. Salazar: Water resources protected
Rep. John Salazar said a Bureau of Land Management official assured him Friday that no development will proceed on oil and gas leases auctioned this past week unless water resources are protected.
Grand Junction and Palisade are protesting leases sold Thursday on thousands of acres in their watersheds. Grand Junction was outbid in its attempt to buy the leases on three parcels deemed crucial to its watershed.
Salazar and his brother, Sen. Ken Salazar, both Colorado Democrats, had asked the BLM to delay the sales over concerns of possible contamination.
Sally Wisely, state BLM director, met with John Salazar on Friday and said leases won’t go forward if water resources are in danger, Salazar said.
“I just wanted to make sure we got an assurance from her that the water quality and watershed would be protected, not only now but for future generations,” Salazar said.
