6 more law enforcement officers charged for Christian Glass’ death

The district attorney for Colorado’s 5th Judicial District charged six more law enforcement officers with failing to intervene to prevent excessive force by Andrew Buen, the former Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot Christian Glass on June 11, 2022.

An officer for Georgetown, Marshal Randy Williams, also faces a count of third-degree assault.

The six officers charged are Williams, Georgetown Police Officer Timothy Collins, Idaho Springs Police Officer Brittany Morrow, State Trooper Ryan Bennie and Division of Gaming officers Christa Lloyd and Mary Harris.

Failing to intervene to prevent excessive force by another peace officer is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Colorado’s legislature created the charge in 2020 as part of a measure known as the “Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity” bill. A conviction or plea to the charge results in a peace officer’s permanent decertification in Colorado.

District Attorney Heidi McCollum filed the cases on Thursday, according to a news release.

“Law enforcement officers must be held accountable for their actions when performing their trusted public service duties,” McCollum said in the release.

The chief of the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement the charge against Bennie “shocked” him, and that he found no violations of the agency’s policies or training in his review of Glass’ death.

“Christian Glass should still be alive. This incident was a tragedy, and those responsible for his death should be held accountable as an important first step in regaining the public’s trust,” agency chief Col. Matthew Packard said. “I am shocked by the decision of the district attorney to pursue charges against Trooper Bennie.”

Glass, 22, called 911 when his car got stuck on rocks near Silver Plume late at night. He said he was scared and locked his car, and officers who responded tried for more than an hour to get Glass to step out. Body-worn camera footage shows him forming a heart with his hands through the window at one point.

Eventually, Buen broke the SUV’s window, fired several bean bag rounds at Glass, shot him with a Taser and shot him five times in the chest, killing him, Denver Gazette partner 9News reported. Williams also deployed a Taser after he reached through a broken window to try opening a door, according to 9News.

Glass had not committed any crimes.

“It’s something we’ve been asking for and pushing for,” Sally Glass, his mother, said in a news conference Friday. “Those six officers didn’t pull the trigger. But they had an absolute duty and responsibility to stop that rogue cop.”

She held a heart-shaped rock her son carried in his car the night he died, which she said feels like carrying a piece of Christian Glass with her. Sally Glass said she has taken to keeping it with her to remember practicing kindness and compassion.

“What 22-year-old guy do you know (who) carries a heart-shaped rock in their car? He was a gentle, kind, artistic soul,” she said.

Dispatch audio from the incident has revealed Bennie’s supervisor saying there wasn’t a reason to contact Glass unless he had committed a crime or was in immediate grave danger, 9News reported.

The Idaho Springs police chief doesn’t believe Morrow violated any department policies or procedures, and she will continue her patrol duties while the case against her progresses, 9News said.

“I strongly believe that Officer Morrow was not in a position to intervene in the tactical decisions of the two Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Georgetown Marshal. It was their direct actions, over approximately 90 seconds, that led to the shooting of Christian Glass,” Chief Nathan Buseck said in a statement.

The Denver Gazette reached out to Georgetown and the Division of Gaming for comment.

Glass’ father, Simon Glass, recounted in a news conference Friday that he and Sally Glass were led to believe their son attacked officers and committed “suicide by cop,” a method in which someone deliberately threatens law enforcement officers in order to provoke a lethal response.

Glass’ parents believed for weeks his death was his own fault, Simon Glass said, until body-worn camera footage of the incident was released. His voice rose as he criticized the statements issued so far by the State Patrol and Idaho Springs police.

“It’s been less than 24 hours, and they’ve issued a statement saying that their officers did nothing wrong. Christian is not here; he’s dead. It’s obvious what they did wrong,” he said.

The announcement of the additional charges comes one day after a former Clear Creek County sheriff’s sergeant, Kyle Gould, pleaded guilty to failing to intervene for Glass’ death. Gould was not at the scene but gave permission remotely to break into the car.

Buen has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, official misconduct and reckless endangerment.

The six defendants just charged have a court appearance Dec. 12 at 9 a.m.

To view the article in it’s entirety, visit denvergazette.com.