GLENWOOD SPRINGS MURDER SUSPECT TO STAND TRIAL
Glenwood Springs—Glenwood Springs restaurant owner Fredy Cabrera will be tried for 1st degree murder. The 39 year old El Jebel man has been in the Garfield County Jail since being arrested last summer for gunning down and killing his teenage daughter’s boyfriend, 21 year old Douglas Menjivar late on the night of July 31st of last year. Garfield County District Judge Denise Lynch ruled that the prosecution has enough evidence of premeditation to try Cabrera for 1st degree murder. Cabrera, who owns the El Horizonte restaurants in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, was reportedly angry that his stepdaughter, Leydy Trejo was in a relationship with Menjivar and had moved in to his apartment. Menjivar, who also worked at one of the restaurants, was shot several times outside his apartment and later died at Valley View Hospital. Trejo was also shot by her stepdad and suffered serious injuries to her right leg. Cabrera’s three week trial will begin April 3rd.
INMATE TIME SERVED BILL PASSES HOUSE
DENVER (AP) – The Colorado House approved a measure giving prisons authority to revoke inmates’ earned time for any reason or if they have committed a violent crime while incarcerated. The bill now moves to the Senate after passing the House Tuesday on a 57-6 vote. Under current law, certain earned time gets vested and cannot be revoked. The Republican-sponsored bill is another response to the problems highlighted by the case of Evan Ebel, the sole suspect in the murder of Department of Corrections Director Tom Clements last year.Ebel received 115 days of earned time, even though he was cited 28 times for offenses that included fighting and assault during his nearly eight years in prison.
The bill would also eliminate the policy of vesting earned time for all inmates.
ONLINE LOTTERY TICKETS MAY BE OUTLAWED
DENVER (AP) – The sale of lottery tickets online would be outlawed under a bill approved by the Colorado House. Only in-person sales at licensed stores would be allowed with the bill that now moves to the Senate. The House approved it Tuesday on a 49-14 vote. Loveland Republican Rep. Brian DelGrosso, the sponsor of the bill, says it’s a way to curb underage gambling.
FRACKING RULING EXPECTED SOON
BROOMFIELD (AP) – A judge is expected to rule Tuesday on whether to throw out a fracking ban that passed by just 20 votes in Broomfield. The ruling should come after lawyers make closing arguments in a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the Nov. 5 election, which was marked by controversy over how the ballots were counted.
Unofficial results indicated the ban failed by 13 votes, but a recount showed it passed by 20 votes out of more than 20,000 votes cast. Questions were raised about possibly ineligible voters and uncounted ballots, leading ban opponents to file the lawsuit.
Even if the judge invalidates the results, it’s not clear whether he could order another election. Attorneys on both sides say it’s uncertain if the law gives the courts that authority.
