CAÑON CITY, Colo. — A former judge who presided over one of the state’s most high-profile murder cases is accusing a sitting district attorney of launching an investigation into him and his family as retribution for his rulings.
Former District Court Judge Ramsey Lama said 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley used the investigation as an intimidation tactic. He said the investigation was launched after YouTube videos were posted filled with conspiracy theories about the Suzanne Morphew murder case.
"I don’t think she’s competent for that position," said Lama, who is now a lawyer in Cañon City. "I say that based on my experience being a judge here."
Lama spent nearly seven years on the bench and was the judge who presided over the Morphew murder case in Fremont County. He spoke publicly this week for the first time after leaving the bench last year.
"I think I have an obligation to the public to share what occurred," Lama said. "I think the public needs to know who Linda Stanley is and what she did in that case to a sitting judge presiding over a case. They need to know that."
A complaint filed by the Attorney Regulation Counsel to the Colorado Supreme Court, along with police reports obtained by 9NEWS from the Cañon City Police Department, seem to corroborate Lama’s allegations. It starts with, of all things, a YouTube video, made during the Morphew case.
"Some YouTuber in a bulletproof vest appeared on video essentially threatening me, doxing me and my family, asking me to get off the case or more was coming. Something to that effect," Lama said. "It was disturbing. It was a 22-minute video of a rant because he didn’t like my rulings in the Barry Morphew case."
Lama said the video was full of unfounded conspiracy theories, including a claim that he abused his ex-wife.
"Totally crazy. I never abused my ex-wife. Just baseless," Lama said. "And he’s in a bulletproof vest, looking at the camera, saying you better get off or more is coming."
Court filings suggest Stanley saw that video, too.
In the complaint filed with the Supreme Court, the document alleges Stanley asked a commander at the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the allegation of domestic abuse from the YouTube video. The commander refused, saying there was no evidence, according to the complaint. Stanley is quoted telling investigators she believed the allegations against Lama influenced his rulings in court.
"My ex-wife was followed," Lama said. "Strangers were appearing at her church, following her to a playground with our son, asking, hey, tell us about Judge Lama and your marriage. Was he abusive? Did he beat you? We’re trying to get him off the case."
After law enforcement declined to investigate Lama, he said, someone showed up at his ex-wife’s house asking her about the allegations from the YouTube video. Court filings show police and sheriff’s deputies said it wasn’t them. Then Lama said he got a call from the police chief in Cañon City.
"He informed me, you know, you’re going to need to sit down for this one, judge. I said OK," Lama said. "They got information that it was a district attorney investigator who contacted my ex-wife to interview her about our marriage. While the Barry Morphew case is pending. While I am the sitting judge on the case. That happened."
Stanley ended up dropping charges against Barry Morphew. Lama did not mince words on what he believes was Stanley’s intent.
"I think an elected official who is the top prosecutor using investigative resources, tax payer dollars, to investigate a judge on nothing, totally baseless, because they didn’t like their rulings, that’s scary," Lama said. "I think if you’re engaging in that kind of conduct, you have no business being a DA."
9NEWS reached out to Stanley repeatedly over the past two days with questions about Lama’s allegations and has not yet heard back. 9NEWS also reached out to Lama's ex-wife and has not heard back.
Stanley now faces the complaint in the state Supreme Court. The complaint filed with the Supreme Court also alleges that Stanley withheld information from defense attorneys while instead sharing information with true crime podcasters and YouTubers.
Lama said he wants to see her lose her law license.
"Using resources in that manner clearly designed to intimidate a judge or if it was for retribution, it’s so wrong," he said. "It’s unethical."
> Below: The complaint file with the Colorado Supreme Court:
More 9NEWS coverage of the Morphew case:
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