Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Friday, January 25, 2008

DA Won't File Charges

Larimer County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson's office has filed a motion to dismiss murder charges against Tim Masters.

"The dismissal was based on newly discovered evidence that justifies further investigation, namely DNA test results which were not available at the time of Peggy Hettrick's murder in 1987 nor at the time of Timothy Master's original trial and conviction in 1999," according to a statement Abrahamson released this afternoon.

Masters got the news at attorney Maria Liu's office this afternoon. As a fax of Abrahamson's motion for dismissal arrived, CBS News was calling.

But while the motion gets him one step closer to being out from under a murder charge that has hovered around him for almost half his life, Masters had other things on his mind.

"It's great. I feel great," he said, smiling. "But I'm late for my driving test."

After a moment to celebrate, Masters was off to take his driving test in hopes of getting his license today.

The celebration was tempered by Abrahamson's declaration that the new DNA results, which show cells belonging to three other men on Hettrick's clothing, do not exclude Masters as a suspect.

"Contrary to news reports, the DNA testing results only suggest that there may be others, along with Timothy Masters, who should be investigated," Abrahamson said in the statement. "These test results do not provide us with enough information to completely exonerate anyone."

"That's bunk," Masters said.

Another attorney for Masters, David Wymore, was more aggravated.

"The facts exonerate Tim Masters, not Larry Abrahamson," Wymore said. "As long as a judge signs (the order of dismissal), Tim Masters knows — America knows — he is innocent."


The Denver Post

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