Aurora Central High School Hosts CO Court of Appeals

NEWS RELEASE # 50
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2014

WHAT: Aurora Central High School Hosts Colorado Court of Appeals
WHEN: April 21, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Aurora Central High School, 11700 E. 11^th Ave.

Aurora Central High School Hosts CO Court of Appeals

Aurora Central High School will host the Colorado Court of Appeals on Monday, April 21. The visit is part of the Colorado Judicial Branch’s Courts in the Community – the outreach program the Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals initiated on Law Day (May 1, 1986).

The program gives Colorado high school students first-hand experience in how the Colorado judicial system works and illustrates how disputes are resolved in a democratic society. These are not mock trials. The court will hear actual arguments from which it will issue opinions. The court generally issues opinions within a month of the arguments.

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals – Judge Dennis Graham, Judge Steve Bernard and Judge Michael Berger – will hear oral arguments in these two cases:

• Case #2011CA1279: People v Derick Campbell: Campbell was charged with possession of 4 grams of schedule II substance/crack cocaine.  He was initially stopped because of failure to use a blinker.  Police said he matched the description of an African-American man who had just committed a home invasion.  This occurred in late 2010.  Campbell did not give permission for police to search his car. Even though officers had probable cause, warrants were not issued.  He is appealing his conviction on the grounds of unreasonable search and seizure.  He is claiming a violation of his 5^th, 6^th, and 14^th Amendment rights. 
• Case # 12CA2551: Madrigal v. City of Aurora: On July 23, 2011, Juan Contreras was shot and killed in an Aurora Family Dollar store by an undercover police officer.  The officer claimed that Contreras was trying to extort him and then pulled a knife on him.  Contreras was shot 3 times and died. Juan’s wife requested information on the case from the Aurora Police Department. She was denied because the case was under heavy scrutiny and investigation by higher powers in the state. She is currently appealing all rulings for records, plus seeking court costs and attorney fees. 

A question-and-answer session, during which the students can ask questions of the attorneys, will follow the presentation of arguments in each case. At the conclusion of the second argument, the students also will be given the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with the Court of Appeals judges.

*** IMPORTANT NOTE***
Media interested in attending must first contact:
Jon Sarché
Colorado Judicial Department Deputy PIO
jon.sarche@judicial.state.co.us
720.625.5811 

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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information