News
In evening vote, Cory Gardner shows health care hand by supporting failed BCRA procedural amendment
DENVER – In two procedural votes Tuesday, Colorado finally got a look at what cards U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner is holding as Republicans push to repeal and possibly replace the Affordable Care Act.
Gardner voted for the motion to proceed to debate on the bills—something that in and of itself was a victory for Senate Republicans when it passed on a tiebreaking vote by the vice president. Previous Senate versions of the bill had failed to get enough votes to make it to the floor for discussion. Continue reading
Transient arrested in 2 brutal Boulder assaults, charged with attempted murder and assault
BOULDER, Colo. – Police arrested a homeless man Tuesday in connection with two attacks on people this week—one of which left a victim fighting for his life.
James Craig Dobson, 56, was arrested Tuesday on second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and third-degree assault charges.
Police say they think Dobson attacked two people late Monday and early Tuesday morning.
The first incident happened around 10:30 p.m. near 27th Way and Baseline Road. Officers found a 50-year-old man with injuries consistent with a beating, the police department said. He was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover, according to the department.
But later that night, around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and in the same location, officers found a 43-year-old man with “grave injuries.” He was hospitalized and remains in critical condition, police said.
The Boulder Police Department hasn’t said much about the attacks, only that the victims’ injuries “were consistent with beatings” and that “it appears the victims and suspect knew each other.”
Dobson remains held at the Boulder County jail. Police are still interviewing people and witnesses.
Anyone who has additional information about the assaults is asked to call the police department at 303-441-3333.
Sen. Cory Gardner votes for repeal of Obamacare in failed effort, staying true to his past
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner voted Wednesday to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act in another failed effort by Senate Republicans—keeping in line with how he voted in his first days as a senator in 2015 and holding true to his years-long promise that he’d repeal the health care law.
Gardner and his staff have avoided answering any questions in recent weeks about how he might vote in the latest efforts by the GOP to reach a party-wide compromise to repeal the ACA, also known as Obamacare, and possibly replace it later. But he’d spoken out in recent months against a straight-repeal bill, as well as against any bills that wouldn’t adequately cover the Medicaid population or people with pre-exisiting conditions. Continue reading
Man sentenced in Colo. shooting preceded by $10K sale of broccoli that was supposed to be marijuana
AURORA, Colo. – One of two drug dealers who sold two people a $10,000 bag of broccoli, then shot the buyers when they got angry for being duped in what was supposed to be a marijuana deal, was sentenced to 16 years in prison late last week.
Sababu Colbert-Evans, 26, received the sentence after being convicted in May of attempted first-degree murder and several lesser charges. He’ll serve the sentences concurrently, and will be on parole for 5 years after he’s released from prison.
The attempted murder charge carries a mandatory minimum of 16 years in prison, and he’ll serve his sentences on the other charges concurrently
His partner in the crime, Tercell Davis (a.k.a. 22 Jump Street), has already pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder and will be sentenced Aug. 7.
The shooting happened at Aurora’s mall on March 15 of last year.
A day earlier, Davis had given the bag of recently-purchased broccoli to the prospective buyers in exchange for $10,000.
But the buyers left the scene without realizing they had bought broccoli instead of pot, so they arranged another deal for the next night while using different names.
Around 7:30 p.m. on March 15, the buyers showed up to the parking lot of the Town Center at Aurora to get the marijuana they thought they’d bought the day before.
Davis brought Colbert-Evans along with him this time, and brought another bag of broccoli as well.
The parties started to fight, and Davis and Colbert-Evans shot at the buyers 11 times. One of them was hit in the torso, but recovered.
“This may be the first time that broccoli has been bad for someone’s health,” 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler said after Colbert-Evans’ sentencing.
Weld County deputy arrested on child abuse, assault charges
WELD COUNTY, Colo. – A Weld County sheriff’s deputy was arrested Tuesday on felony assault and misdemeanor child abuse charges and has been placed on unpaid leave.
The deputy, 32-year-old Derek Kinch, most recently worked in the courts division of the sheriff’s office, and has been a deputy in Weld County since 2008.
The sheriff’s office first found out about the possible child abuse involving its own deputy early on July 21, it said. The alleged abuse happened at a home in the 11000 block of Montgomery Circle—near Longmont in unincorporated Weld County.
Since Kinch’s arrest affidavit wasn’t available Tuesday, there are few details surrounding the case currently available. The sheriff’s office says that Kinch was allegedly involved in “ongoing child abuse.”
Kinch was arrested Tuesday around 7 p.m. on second-degree assault and child abuse charges.
He also faces an internal investigation by the sheriff’s office, and has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an outcome in his criminal case.
The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains ongoing and asks anyone with information on the case to call 970-356-4015.
Sen. Cory Gardner votes ‘yes’ on motion to proceed to GOP health care bill; what comes next?
DENVER – U.S. Senator Cory Gardner voted Tuesday in favor of the motion to proceed to a Senate floor debate on Republicans’ efforts to repeal, and possibly replace, the Affordable Care Act—despite not knowing what bill the Senate might take up to debate first.
The final vote came down to Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who came back to the Senate just days after being diagnosed with brain cancer to cast a vote. Continue reading
La Plata County officials, Dylan’s mother give Redwine case update after arrest, court appearance
LA PLATA COUNTY, Colo. — Authorities in La Plata County and the mother of Dylan Redwine both held news conferences Tuesday to talk about the arrest of Mark Redwine in the five-year-old case surrounding the death of his 13-year-old son, Dylan Redwine.
On Tuesday, authorities in Washington state released police body camera footage of Redwine’s arrest, which happened in Bellingham, Washington late Friday, just before midnight.
A day earlier, a judge in Washington ordered Redwine be held on a $1 million bail pending an Aug. 17 extradition hearing. He will fight extradition back to Colorado. Continue reading
Mark Redwine will remain held on $1M bail, will fight extradition back to Colorado
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Mark Redwine will remain held on a $1 million bond in northeastern Washington while he awaits extradition back to Colorado on murder and child abuse charges related to the 2012 death of his 13-year-old son, Dylan.
But Denver7 has learned that Redwine will fight extradition back to Colorado. The judge at Monday’s hearing set his extradition hearing for Aug. 17. Continue reading
Suspect in deadly Texas immigrant truck incident has criminal history in Colorado
DENVER – The truck driver charged with having nearly 100 undocumented immigrants—10 of whom died—inside a sweltering truck inside a Texas parking lot, also has a criminal past in Colorado.
James Bradley, 60, faces federal charges for transporting people he knew were in the country illegally, and could face an unending prison term or death if convicted.
But Denver7 Investigates has learned that Bradley had a spotted history of criminal behavior in Colorado as well. Continue reading
Brauchler says he’ll bring Aurora shooter James Holmes back to Colorado if elected governor
DENVER – George Brauchler says he’ll bring Aurora theater shooter James Holmes back to Colorado to serve his sentence if Colorado elects him as its next governor in 2018.
“As governor, I will return Aurora Theater Shooting mass murderer back to CO to serve his sentence here, where he committed his evil crime,” Brauchler tweeted early Friday. Continue reading