Author Archives: dictionhound

INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR JUVENILE DEFENSE INTRODUCED TO HOUSE JUDICIARY

0
  by: dictionhound Tue April 2, 2013 at 1:39 PM MDT

House Joint Resolution looks to investigate due process improvement in state juvenile courts

Today, House Joint Resolution 13-1019, “Juvenile Defense Attorney Interim Committee,” is being heard in the House Judiciary Committee.  The resolution would establish an interim legislative committee to study access to juvenile defense counsel and state juvenile defense delivery systems to remedy deprivations of the 6th Amendment right to counsel for Colorado juveniles.

In 2012, 45% of all juvenile delinquency cases (9600) had no defense lawyer during any point of the legal process, leaving children and families to represent themselves in proceedings that can lead to lifelong consequences.  Even when counsel is appointed, it can be late in the process, when juvenile cases need early attention and intervention. The resolution follows the release of Colorado: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings by the National Juvenile Defender Center.

“Colorado youth need a well-trained voice throughout the legal process,” said Kim Dvorchak, executive director of the Colorado Juvenile Defender Coalition. “With nearly half of juvenile cases having no defense attorney, Colorado needs to take a serious look at providing due process for juveniles from the moment they face legal proceedings.”
The bi-partisan resolution is sponsored by Representatives Claire Levy (D), and Clarice Navarro (R), and Senators Angela Giron (D), and Ted Harvey (R).  The committee will investigate a portion of the justice system that often goes unnoticed and consider solutions for comprehensive reform.


Full story: INTERIM COMMITTEE FOR JUVENILE DEFENSE INTRODUCED TO HOUSE JUDICIARY

WRONGFUL INCARCERATION COMPENSATION BILL SET FOR HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

1
  by: dictionhound Thu March 7, 2013 at 8:42 AM MDT

At 1:30 Today, the House Judiciary Committee will hear House Bill 13-1230.  The bill would allow for state compensation for persons or immediate family members of those wrongly convicted of a felony or wrongly adjudicated or wrongly incarcerated.

 

The bill is sponsored by Representatives Angela Williams (D) and Dan Pabon (D) in the House and Lucia Guzman (D) in the Senate.  Compensation for an exonerated person would equal $70,000 for every year of incarceration.  An additional $50,000 would be provided each year for those that wrongfully spent time on death row.  Exonerated individuals who spent time on parole or  had to register as sex offenders would receive an addition $25,000.  The bill looks to balance the fallibility of the justice system.

 

“The court and lawyers sometimes make mistakes, it can lead to the wrongful loss of liberty or even life.  No human being is infallible yet we rely on it every day to make life or death decisions,” said Dan Schoen, Executive Director of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar. “We can never make up for what was done to people like Rob Dewey and Tim Masters, but HB1230 will help people that were wrongfully incarcerated by the government  pick up the broken pieces of their lives”

 

Along with monetary compensation, the exonerated would be required to take financial management courses to receive compensation after the first year.  HB 13-1230 will also cover tuition at in-state colleges for the exonerated and their children who served incarceration sentences of 3 or more years.  

 

Compensation laws exist in other states, yet these systems alone do no solve the fallibility problem. As Dan Schoen points out, “Texas has the most generous exoneree compensation system, unfortunately there have been innocent people like Cameron Todd Willingham who were executed in Texas and never got the compensation.”

 

The compensation procedure would provide a 60 day period for the attorney general and the district attorney to support eligibility for compensation or to contest eligibility and innocence.  If innocence is contested, the district court will conduct a trial with the burden of proof on the petitioner or wrongly convicted to prove their innocence.

 


Full story: WRONGFUL INCARCERATION COMPENSATION BILL SET FOR HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Constituents to Converged on Sen. Bennet and Sen. Udall’s Denver offices on Monday

0
  by: dictionhound Tue December 11, 2012 at 7:41 AM MDT

Over 150 constituents descended on Sen. Michael Bennet and Sen. Mark Udall’s offices on Monday, December 10, 2012 to deliver a clear message that “No deal is a bad deal” on “fiscal cliff” negotiations.  From 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. arriving in 20 minute cycles, 24 delegation groups urged the Senators to put the middle class over millionaires.

The press availability event took place at noon to talk to constituents who pressed the Senators to heed the will of Colorado voters and extend tax cuts for middle class families, end tax breaks for the richest two percent and protect vital services Coloradans depend on like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and education.

From 12:00-12:30 several constituents spoke on the importance of the current negotiations in Washington D.C. The speakers included Katie Facchinello from Tynnyson Center for Children, David Bouchey, a former biotech executive working two part-time jobs, and Lori Goldstein, a teacher from Adams 12 Schools.  




Full story: Constituents to Converged on Sen. Bennet and Sen. Udall’s Denver offices on Monday

UNION MEMBERS, PROGRESSIVE GROUPS RALLY FOR JOBS, NOT CUTS DELIVER LETTERS TO SEN. BENNET URGINg NO

0
  by: dictionhound Fri November 9, 2012 at 7:34 PM MDT

In preparation for the Lame-Duck Congress, working families urged Senators Bennet and Udall

and Congressmen Coffman, Perlmutter and Polis to fight for working families

Denver- On Thursday, November 8, over 100 members  of the Colorado AFL-CIO, SEIU and a coalition of 17 groups visited Senator Michael Bennet’s office to act on voters’ priorities in the coming congressional session. The United States Congress is heading back into session on November 13, 2012 for what they are calling the “Lame Duck Session” of Congress.

The groups urged Colorado Members of Congress to let the Bush-era tax cuts for those making $250,000 per year expire, and not to make cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other vital programs that will impact working and middle class Coloradans.

SEIU member Gina Jones shared her personal story with the impassioned crowd. “I have a ten year old disabled daughter with the mental capacities of a 3 1/2 year old,” said Jones. If I didn’t

have Medicaid, I wouldn’t be able to afford the frequent appointments, the trips to Children’s Hospital, and various medications she needs. Colorado rejected the Romney/Ryan plan to cut Medicare, Medicaid and other programs, and voted instead for jobs. We urge Senator Bennet and all our Members of Congress to heed the will of the voters when they go back to Washington, D.C.”

Cindy Kirby, Secretary Treasurer of the Colorado AFL-CIO made the following remarks concerning federally funded programs: “We are proud of what was accomplished on Tuesday. We sent a loud message to protect working families and help those that need it most. Programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are vital. Now that the election is over it is time to make sure our voices are even louder.”

A short speaking program outside of Senator Bennet’s Denver office was followed by representatives delivering a letter signed by labor and progressive allies to his district staff.  The representatives engaged in a brief discussion with a receptive Senator Bennet’s staff regarding working family concerns.  A small delegation delivered a similar letter to Senator Mark Udall’s Denver office after the rally.

This event was part of a national effort with similar rallies across the country highlighting the need for congress to focus on jobs before cuts in the “lame duck” session

The Colorado AFL-CIO is comprised of 310,000 Colorado voters striving to keep Colorado working and the middle class strong.


Full story: UNION MEMBERS, PROGRESSIVE GROUPS RALLY FOR JOBS, NOT CUTS DELIVER LETTERS TO SEN. BENNET URGINg NO

AFL-CIO, AFFILIATES REGISTER 13,570 VOTERS FROM UNION HOMES

2
  by: dictionhound Wed October 10, 2012 at 8:26 PM MDT

Colorado labor organizations work for dramatic increase in voter registrations:



Denver-Working with statewide affiliates, the Colorado AFL-CIO has registered more that 13,500 new voters from union homes across Colorado since March of 2011.  This marks a 15% increase in union household voter registrations over that time period and is the second highest percentage increase in the Country.

“We are proud of the hard work that has allowed us to increase voter registration among union households by 15%,” said Mike Cerbo, Executive Director of the Colorado AFL-CIO. “The last 18 months have paid off to ensure that working family values are heard in the ballot box and that these values resonate with our elected officials.”

The national AFL-CIO has registered 450,000 voters from union households across the country including over 68,000 voters in Ohio.  


Full story: AFL-CIO, AFFILIATES REGISTER 13,570 VOTERS FROM UNION HOMES