6 more officers charged in death of Christian Glass
DENVER (KDVR) — One day after a former Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office deputy agreed to plead guilty to an amended charge in the death of Christian Glass, six more officers have been charged.
On Thursday, Kyle Gould pleaded guilty to a Class 1 misdemeanor of failure to intervene.
He was sentenced to two years probation with no jail sentence. In addition, Gould agreed to withdraw his Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training certification and not work in law enforcement or security in any jurisdiction.
On Friday, the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said six more officers have been charged in Glass’ death.
According to the DA, the following were charged:
- Georgetown Marshal Randy Williams
- Georgetown Police Officer Timothy Collins
- Idaho Springs Police Officer Brittany Morrow
- Colorado State Trooper Ryan Bennie
- Division of Gaming Officer Christa Lloyd
- Division of Gaming Officer Mary J. Harris
Williams has been charged with duty to intervene and third-degree assault. Collins, Morrow, Bennie, Lloyd and Harris were charged with duty to intervene. According to the DA, all charges are class 1 misdemeanors.
On Thursday, Sally and Simon Glass, Christian’s parents, held a press conference to discuss the new charges.
“Every one of them should have said stop and they all had a duty to do that. It’s something we’ve really campaigned for,” Christian’s mother said.
Siddartha Rathod, the Glass family attorney, said the charges send a message to law enforcement that they must act. He called the responses shocking, saying those agencies never tried to correct the record of what happened the night Christian was killed.
“You may not standby or participate or watch your fellow officer commit a crime,” Rathod said.
“In my simplistic view when a group of people get together and commit a murder, they are all responsible,” Christian’s father said.
Law enforcement responds to charges filed
Colonel Matthew C. Packard, chief of CSP, released a statement on Trooper Bennie’s charge.
“As the Chief of the Colorado State Patrol, I have had the opportunity to review at length the events that led to the killing of Christian Glass. In my review, I found no indication that Trooper Bennie violated any Colorado State Patrol policy or training. I am shocked by the decision of the District Attorney to pursue charges against Trooper Bennie,” Packard said.
Williams, Collins, Morrow, Bennie, Lloyd, and Harris are all scheduled to appear
in court on Dec. 12 at 9 a.m.
The Idaho Springs Police Department also addressed the charges against Morrow, saying in a release that it appears the charges are “applied in a blanket manner to the other six officers present, regardless of what tactics each individual used.”
ISPD Chief Nathan Buseck said he empathizes with the Glass family’s loss, but that he “strongly” believes Morrow was not able to intervene in the tactical decisions of the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office and Georgetown Marshal. He pointed to those agencies for fault.
“It was their direct actions, over approximately 90 seconds, that led to the shooting of Christian Glass,” said Buseck in the release. “Officer Morrow continues to serve the citizens of Idaho Springs and residents of Clear Creek County since this incident occurred. She has performed admirably and professionally. She will continue to be assigned to patrol duties as this matter works its way through the legal system, and our agency fully supports her through this process.”
The Colorado Division of Gaming and Department of Revenue told FOX31 that two DOR employees have been placed on administrative leave while the case is pending. The agency said it will not comment further due to the pending litigation.
FOX31 reached out to the Georgetown Police Department on Thursday, but the agency has not responded.
Glass shot, killed after calling for help
Glass was shot and killed in his car after he called for help when his car broke down in Silver Plume. He told emergency dispatchers he had possible weapons in his car, including knives and a hammer, which his family said he had for an amateur geology trip.
The hour-long encounter was captured on multiple body-worn cameras.
Glass was shot six times by a Clear Creek County deputy in June 2022. According to the video, deputies busted a window of the vehicle, shot him six times with bean bags and used a Taser twice against him, but Glass, showing some signs of paranoia and some incoherence, never left the vehicle.
He can also be seen making a heart with his hands against the window before it is broken.
Earlier this year, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office published a review of the incident, concluding that Glass never posed a safety risk to anyone including himself, until officers began to use unnecessary force against him.
To view the article in it’s entirety, visit kdvr.com.