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Federal judge declares Colorado sex offender registry unconstitutional for 3 men
DENVER – A federal judge in Denver on Thursday ruled that the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act violates the U.S. Constitution when applied to three men because it constitutes further punishment beyond their initial jail time and probation.
U.S. District Court of Colorado Senior District Judge Richard P. Matsch stopped short of declaring the full statute unconstitutional, but determined that when applied to the three Colorado men—David Millard, Eugene Knight and Arturo Vega—SORA violated provisions of the Eighth and 14th amendments. Continue reading
Hickenlooper-Kasich health care proposal calls for retaining individual mandate, funding CSRs
DENVER – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s health care reform proposal put together with a bipartisan panel of governors implores Congress to keep the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act in place while work is done to further stabilize insurance marketplaces and make the health care law feasible in the long run.
Hickenlooper, a Democrat, and Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich unveiled the proposal on Thursday after months of crafting that was done with governors from Nevada, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Virginia, Louisiana and Montana. Continue reading
Hickenlooper to unveil what he calls a bipartisan health care market stabilization fix on Thursday
DENVER – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper will unveil the details of the bipartisan framework he says will stabilize insurance markets around the country on Thursday morning at the state Capitol in Denver.
Hickenlooper, a Democrat, hinted at the unveiling earlier this week after months of visible work and public appearances with Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican. The unveiling will happen at a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday. Continue reading
Cherry Creek Mortgage chairman resigned, policy changes made after same-sex benefits lawsuit filed
DENVER – Not only did Cherry Creek Mortgage change its policy on benefits for same-sex couples a day after a lawsuit claimed the company had been denying a California couple coverage—the Greenwood Village-based company’s chairman resigned from the company and its board of directors.
Denver7 reported on the federal lawsuit filed by Judith Dominguez and Patricia Martinez, who sued the company and claimed they were denied health care benefits because they are a lesbian couple, last Thursday. Continue reading
Man who claimed neo-Nazi haircut led to stabbing in Colorado actually stabbed himself, police say
SHERIDAN, Colo. – A man who claimed he’d been stabbed outside a Sheridan restaurant on Aug. 16 because his haircut made him look like a neo-Nazi actually stabbed himself, police say.
Joshua Lee Witt, 26, was booked late last week on a false reporting to authorities criminal summons, which could land him a fine of $2,650 and up to a year in jail if he’s convicted. Continue reading
CDOT selects Kiewit Meridiam Partners to oversee $1.2B Central 70 highway construction project
DENVER – Kiewit Meridiam Partners has been selected to lead the development and reconstruction of much of I-70 in the Denver area that will be the largest infrastructure development in Colorado Department of Transportation history.
CDOT says that KMP was selected because its proposal came in on-budget and could cut 6 months off of construction, which is expected to take around 4 years to complete under the KMP proposed schedule. The project is expected to cost around $1.2 billion. Continue reading
Cherry Creek Schools didn’t tell parents of security guard arrest
DENVER – Cherry Creek School District officials didn’t notify parents of students at Grandview High School that a security guard working at the school was arrested and charged with sex crimes in May, but they didn’t technically have to because Colorado has no statewide policy for doing so, nor does the district have a written policy of its own.
Denver7 Investigates learned in recent weeks that the school’s security guard, 29-year-old Broderick Jerrod Lundie, had been arrested on May 4 on child sex assault charges. Continue reading
Colorado-based Cherry Creek Mortgage sued by same-sex couple over alleged health benefit denials
DENVER – Colorado-based Cherry Creek Mortgage faces a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by a California couple who say they were denied health benefits by the company because of their same-sex marriage—one of them who was just a year out from suffering two heart attacks.
Judith Dominguez, 59, and her wife, 55-year-old Patricia Martinez, filed the suit against Cherry Creek Mortgage Company and two health insurance companies it used—UnitedHealth Group and UnitedHealthcare Services—last week in U.S. District Court of Central California. Continue reading
Prosecutors: Prairie Middle School teacher had 5 victims; 1 suffering from mental distress
DENVER – The Prairie Middle School teacher arrested Tuesday on eight counts of child sex assault and exploitation had at least five victims and had been allegedly abusing his victims over a period of four years, Arapahoe County prosecutors said at his first court appearance Wednesday.
Brian C. Vasquez, 34, won’t be able to contact his two sons except by telephone and won’t be able to use the internet after his arrest, a judge ordered. He also saw his bond set at $200,000 during the Wednesday morning court appearance in Arapahoe County. Continue reading
Cherry Creek Schools security guard arrested in May for sexual assault of student
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. – On the same day that a Cherry Creek School District teacher was arrested for multiple counts of child sex assault and exploitation, Denver7 has learned that a security guard working for the district was arrested in May after he was caught allegedly sexting and having oral sex with at least one student at the school he worked at.
Broderick Jerrod Lundie, 29, was arrested on May 4 on possession of child pornography, promotion of obscenities to a minor and sexual assault charges. Continue reading