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  • On November 21, 2016, 13 Aurora police officers responded to a simple noise complaint at Alberto Torres’s home. As happens all too often, Aurora police officers escalated this minor issue into a brutal affair. They beat Mr. Torres solely because he delayed exiting his garage to ask his wife to interpret for him. With that beating, the lives of Mr. Torres and every member of his family were changed and he has yet to recover. ACLU of Colorado fought to obtain justice for Mr. Torres, and Aurora has now paid him $285,000. But money is not justice, and the brutality of the Aurora Police Department against people of color has continued unabated.

    It doesn’t have to be this way.

    Imagine, if instead of 13 officers being dispatched to Mr. Torres’s home for a noise complaint, the City of Aurora sent a civilian-led response team to check on his welfare and ask that he and his friends lower their sound, resulting in a non-violent solution to a minor issue?

    ACLU Settles Case With Aurora After Police Brutalize and Unlawfully Arrest Alberto Torres

  • Hope is a discipline. It’s a commitment that together, we can create a more perfect union. We won’t rest until we fulfill the promise of equal rights for ALL people in the United States.

    Join us in our fight to fulfill this promise and move forward with hope by donating to the ACLU of Colorado. Your donation supports the ACLU’s strengths that make our work effective and collaborative.

    Donate now at https://action.aclu.org/give/support-aclu-colorado

  • Anthony Martinez is 84-years-old and suffering from renal failure, as well as other serious medical conditions including dementia. He is currently incarcerated in the Sterling Correctional Facility, site of one of Colorado’s largest COVID-19 outbreaks with almost 600 active COVID-19 cases. He and his family are understandably terrified that he will catch the virus and die.

    In the midst of this public health crisis, incarcerated people as vulnerable as Anthony, could and should be immediately released to safely live out their remaining years with family.

    Read more about Anthony Martinez and other at-risk incarcerated people. 

  • Ronald Johnson is pre-diabetic, suffers from asthma and high blood pressure, and regularly uses an inhaler to breathe. His age and respiratory ailments put him at risk of serious illness and death if he contracts COVID-19. With over hundreds of active cases in Colorado’s prisons, his family fears he will not make it out alive. His daughter, Amber, says, “In prison, he can’t protect himself and he can’t social distance. My deep fear is that my dad will die in prison. That is an awful, traumatic reality to consider. My chest is tight just thinking about how quickly it spreads and how vulnerable he is.”

    Governor Hickenlooper shortened his sentence following testimony from family, friends and correctional officers advocating for his early release. Yet, he is still eight years away from parole. While he remains in prison, COVID-19 continues to spread. Ronald’s three siblings, four children and four grandchildren are desperate for his release.

    Read more about Ronald Johnson and other at-risk incarcerated people.

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2.23.21

ACLU of Colorado Statement on the Aurora Independent Investigation Into Elijah McClain’s Death

February 23, 2021 DENVER – The following statement can be attributed to Mark Silverstein, Legal Director for ACLU of Colorado. “The Aurora independent investigation report confirms in stark terms what the community has long understood: Aurora police killed Elijah McClain. Mr. McClain was the innocent victim of multiple violations of longstanding law that is supposed to limit the authority of law enforcement. Aurora police had no grounds to stop Mr. McClain in the first place. They had.... | Read More

2.23.21

ACLU Challenges Subdivision Rules Prohibiting Residents From Displaying Pride Flags, Social Justice Signs

February 23, 2021 DENVER – ACLU of Colorado filed suit today in federal court to challenge a subdivision’s rules that arbitrarily prohibit residents from displaying certain flags and signs on their own property. David Pendery, the ACLU’s client, wishes to display a Pride flag at his home to convey solidarity with LGBTQ+ families like his. He also wants to post a “We believe …” sign to encourage inclusivity and kindness. But both signs are prohibited by the rules of the Whispering Pines.... | Read More

2.9.21

Victory in Fort Collins: Court Rules Camping Ban Prosecution Violates Constitution

February 9, 2021 DENVER – The Larimer County District Court ruled that the City of Fort Collins violated the Constitution when it prosecuted Adam Wiemold, an unhoused Fort Collins man, for sleeping in his vehicle overnight at a designated rest stop when other shelter was not accessible. “The district court ruled that it violates the Constitution to prosecute people for sleeping outdoors when indoor shelter is not available to them,” said Mark Silverstein, ACLU of Colorado Legal Director..... | Read More

2.8.21

Colorado Coalition Condemns Hickenlooper for Vote Against Stimulus

300 Colorado Advocates Call on Senator to Protect Undocumented Immigrants  February 8, 2021 DENVER – In a letter released Monday, February 8, a coalition of 300 concerned organizations, elected officials, businesses and community members called on Sen. John Hickenlooper to commit to supporting Colorado’s impacted communities and to deliver the necessary aid and protection he promised to all Coloradans. The letter came in response to the senator’s symbolic vote to block stimulus payments.... | Read More

1.26.21

Redemption Campaign: NFL Athletes Speak Out

In a series of ads, Justin Simmons, Alexander Johnson and De’Vante Bausby, activists and NFL professional athletes for the Denver Broncos, urge Governor Polis to use his clemency powers to safely release people from prison and fight mass incarceration. The ads are the centerpiece of the launch of Colorado’s Redemption Campaign, a statewide initiative to safely release thousands of people who pose no public safety risk from Colorado prisons by challenging Governor Polis to use existing clemency.... | Read More

1.26.21

ACLU of Colorado Welcomes Deborah J. Richardson as New Executive Director

DENVER – ACLU of Colorado is pleased to announce Deborah J. Richardson as its new Executive Director. She will lead the organization in its mission to protect, defend and extend the civil rights and civil liberties of all people in Colorado. Most recently, Ms. Richardson was the Executive Director of the International Human Trafficking Institute of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta and was formerly its Executive Vice President. She will officially assume the position of.... | Read More