GEORGETOWN, Colo — An attorney for one of the deputies charged in the June death of Christian Glass hinted in court Monday that his client may seek a change of venue for the case because of media coverage of the case.
Kyle Gould’s attorney Bob Weiner made the suggestion after a hearing was scheduled to discuss a prosecution effort to combine the cases of both of the deputies.
Judge Catherine Cheroutes scheduled a late June hearing to discuss the joinder motion.
Gould is one of two former Clear Creek County deputies charged in the shooting death of Glass, who called 911 after he got his car stuck on a boulder in Silver Plume. He was showing signs of mental distress and refusing to get out of the car. Deputies broke a window, and deputy Andrew Buen shot Glass with bean bag rounds, used a Taser, then fired five shots into Glass’ chest, killing him.
Buen was charged with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment and official misconduct. Gould was charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment.
According to a grand jury indictment, Gould was off-site at the time of the call, watching a live stream of body camera video of the encounter with Glass, and gave an order to break into the vehicle, which led to the shooting.
Prosecutors had previously asked the court to try the deputies together.
“They committed the murder together, or worked together as a team. We think it should be together,” Simon Glass, Christian’s father, said Monday outside the courtroom. “Seems right.”
Glass’ parents were present for Monday’s hearing, the first since the judge ordered against defense motions to dismiss the case for lack of probable cause. Cheroutes ruled there was enough evidence for the grand jury to find probable cause that Buen “acted maliciously” when he shot Glass.
“When she used to word malicious…it was like a stab wound to us,” Sally Glass, Christian’s mother, said. “It was malicious.”
As adamant as Glass’ parents were about keeping the two deputies’ cases together in court, they weren’t as opposed to a change in venue.
“We really don’t mind too much where it happens,” Simon Glass said. “It’s perhaps a delay.”
“It’s going to criminal trial and they will be tried in front of a jury,” Sally Glass said. “I would be confident any jury in any jurisdiction is going to find them guilty.”
The couple, donned in pink, which was their son’s favorite color, continued their call for more of the officers that responded that night to face charges.
In December, Fifth Judicial District District Attorney Heidi McCollum said a grand jury could be looking at more elements of the case, but couldn’t elaborate as grand jury proceedings are secret.
Asked why they’ve attended all of the court hearings, including Monday’s which was largely procedural, Sally and Simon Glass said they’re doing it to support their son.
“Our son lost his life…the least we can do as parents is come up and support him, because I believe somehow he’s still around,” Sally Glass said. “I cannot tell you how incredibly hard it is to see those murderers in court. It’s awful and we have nightmares about it. But we’re here for our son.”
Both Buen and Gould are due back in court on June 21 for a hearing on the motion to join their cases.
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