Federal court upholds seizure of rancher s malnourished horses
A judge found there was probable cause to seize a Colorado rancher s horses during a cold snap in 2019. Author: Colorado Politics Updated: 3:32 PM MDT April 14, 2021
PARK COUNTY, Colo. Probable cause existed for the seizure of a Park County rancher’s malnourished and dying horses in the midst of a brutal cold snap, a federal judge has ruled, dismissing the man’s claims against the parties who rescued his animals.
U.S. District Court Senior Judge Philip A. Brimmer concluded the seizure warrant, based on a sheriff’s deputy’s statement, properly outlined the horses that were subject to confiscation pursuant to a veterinarian’s recommendation.
Probable cause existed for the seizure of a Park County rancherâs malnourished and dying horses in the midst of a brutal cold snap, a federal judge has ruled, dismissing the manâs claims against the parties who rescued his animals.
U.S. District Court Senior Judge Philip A. Brimmer concluded the seizure warrant, based on a sheriffâs deputyâs statement, properly outlined the horses that were subject to confiscation pursuant to a veterinarianâs recommendation. The affidavit paints a clear picture: the weather was harsh and plaintiffâs horses were in rough condition. Plaintiff failed to provide his horses the appropriate feed until several weeks after he was directed, and at least two horses, and possibly ten, had died,â wrote Brimmer in the March 10 order. âPlaintiff refused to bring his horses near the barn for proper shelter until he was given several warnings and directives.â
Rio Blanco County sheriff’s employees did not unconstitutionally ignore the risk of suicide to a woman who died inside the county jail in 2016, the federal appeals court based in Denver has ruled.
Although there were allegations the employees failed to check on Catherine Rowell hourly, as the policy manual required, “the officers’ failure to follow jail procedures does not equate with a constitutional violation,” wrote Senior Judge Paul J. Kelly Jr. in an opinion for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
The ruling from the three-member appellate panel upheld a lower court judge’s finding that Rowell’s behavior in the jail did not put employees on sufficient notice of her suicidality, and therefore their failure to prevent it did not violate Rowell’s rights.
A federal agency improperly green-lit two proposed research projects to kill wildlife in Colorado by failing to separately study and solicit public comment in an attempt to speed the projects along, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
U.S. District Court Senior Judge Marcia S. Krieger sided with a trio of nonprofit groups that sued the government over a Colorado Parks and Wildlife proposal to kill cougars and bears in two study locations. She also found the environmental assessment that formed a basis for the projectsâ approval failed to adequately analyze the populations of relevant animals or consider germane research.
Chief Justice Tim Armstead (left) is sworn in December 15 by U.S. District Senior Judge David Faber. (WV Supreme Court photo)
CHARLESTON – Someone who attended an event last week at the state Supreme Court chambers has tested positive for COVID-19, but it wasn’t any court employee who works at the Capitol.
On December 15, current Chief Justice Tim Armstead was sworn in for a new 12-year term after having retained the seat in this spring’s non-partisan election. According to press releases from the court, the number of people who attended the ceremony was limited because of Coronavirus concerns, and those who did attend followed social distancing and masking guidelines.