Teen accused in Lefthand Canyon beating will be charged as adult; affidavit still sealed

BOULDER, Colo. – The teen accused of beating a Lefthand Canyon woman nearly to death last week will be charged as an adult Wednesday amid a fight to get his arrest affidavit released to the public.

Jeffrey Collins, 16, will be charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault on an at-risk person Wednesday in Boulder District Court. He remains held on a $1 million bond.

Collins is accused of beating Katie Kulpa, 71, with a fire poker after she offered him and two other teens hitchhiking in the area a ride.

Collins appeared in juvenile court last Friday, but the district attorney then decided to charge him as adult.

Denver7’s news partners at the Boulder Daily Camera requested and obtained Collins’ affidavit Monday, but Collins’ attorney motioned to seal the file in the case since Collins is a juvenile.

And though the DA’s Office had already sent the affidavit to the Daily Camera, a judge presiding over the case ordered the paper not to publish it and scheduled a hearing for Tuesday.

The Daily Camera’s attorney argued in court Tuesday that since the affidavit was obtained through the proper channels, forcing the paper not to publish its contents constituted unconstitutional prior restraint and argued the order violates the First Amendment.

The judge in the case has yet to rule on the order, but it remained in place after the hearing. It is unknown when a ruling on the defense’s motion will be made.