Seattle1
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Grand Jury indictment definitely has some advantages.
Prosecutors in Idaho, expecting a defense of Bryan Kohberger no less aggressive than Morphew's, procured an indictment that superseded the information/complaint upon which Kohberger was initially arrested. They didn't avoid the entire blizzard of motions but they did avoid the kind of games lawyers can play with witnesses in preliminary hearings, before an ongoing investigation is entirely complete.
But convening and supporting a grand jury is expensive and burdensome, especially for small, resource poor counties. In Idaho, the state stepped in to provide logistical support and top legal talent as lead counsel, which IMO has prevented the local prosecutor from being overwhelmed as Stanley and company were. It also enabled use of the grand jury.
The Colorado AG has a special prosecutions unit that similarly supports rural DAs. Most recently, the team participated in the prosecution of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted of crimes associated with her effort to support false election denial theories. I don't believe DA Kelly will hesitate to bring in the AG's team and let the AG share the credit for the conviction of Morphew. I am surprised that DA Stanley and her assistant Lindsey didn't call them: just one of many missed opportunities in a leaderless office.
All MOO.
No, not a missed opportunity.
I thought OP may have been here (under a different user name) when we discussed LS attempt to seat a grand jury for this case but the team tagged by OAG to present evidence to the grand jury in rural Colorado was occupied in La Plata County with the prosecution of Mark Redwine (who incidentally was also indicted by a grand jury). Ring a bell now?
Nonetheless, I recall the special deputy, Fred Johnson, Boulder, who handled the overall investigation and presentation to the grand jury, a colleague of Ann Kelly.
Also, LS did not give up -- on Sept 5, 2023, she announced the 11th Judicial District empaneled its first grand jury re. a cold case, 1967 murder of 14 month old Roxanne Archuleta, and indicted Keith Emmanuel Smith of Florence on one count of second degree murder.
Fred Johnson, Special Deputy
11th JD: DA Stanley Announces Indictment