CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 , MEDIA,MAPS,TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION*

[Seattle1]

Former AG and mayor John Suthers delivers scathing testimony in disciplinary hearing for Morphew prosecutor

One of the state’s top former law enforcement officers testified Friday that comments made by 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley during a television interview about two murder suspects she was prosecuting, including Barry Morphew, were the worst he's ever seen.

denvergazette.com

6/18/24

One of the state’s top former law enforcement officers testified Friday that comments made by 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley during a television interview about two murder suspects she was prosecuting were the worst he's ever seen.

"I can't recall anything more egregious in heightening the public condemnation of the accused," John Suthers explained. "There’s nothing about it that comes anywhere close to a law enforcement purpose."

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Stanley's attorney Steve Jensen explained that she understood that she was off-the-record when she made the comments, but reporters said that she had a microphone on and should have known she was being recorded.

The order granting the motion to dismiss was filed by Fremont County District Court Judge Kaitlin Turner. Turner has been present listening to testimony in the gallery of the courtroom but is not scheduled to testify at Stanley's hearing.

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In addition to the Fremont County case, Suthers was also asked about extra-judicial statements made by Stanley as lead prosecutor in Barry Morphew's murder case: First when he was arrested on May 5, 2021, and then on a national podcast after the evidentiary hearing.

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Stanley appeared on a podcast called "Profiling Evil." The mere name of the program caused problems, Suthers said. "Let’s start with the fact that you’re going on a podcast called Profiling Evil. There's substantial likelihood that this heightens the public’s condemnation of the accused," Suthers said.

[..]

In addition, Suthers found that Stanley's comments during an appearance at a press conference on May 5, 2021 when Morphew was arrested were “something even a rookie prosecutor understands.”

[..]

 

[Seattle1]

If Linda Stanley loses her law license in Supreme Court complaint, she would no longer be allowed to serve as District Attorney

Stanley's license was already briefly suspended last year for an unrelated inquiry. If the state Supreme Court rules against her, she wouldn't be district attorney.

www.9news.com

11/6/23

Stanley faces a long list of allegations outlined in court filings, including launching a secret investigation into the judge presiding over the Suzanne Morphew murder case. She was the one to bring charges against Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew. Stanley dropped those charges before going to trial.

"Using resources in that manner clearly designed to intimidate a judge or if it was for retribution, it’s so wrong," said former District Court Judge Ramsey Lama. "It’s unethical."

Lama wants Stanley to lose her law license after he says she secretly investigated his family based on conspiracy theories in a YouTube video. Court filings also accuse her of providing information to "True Crime" podcasters while withholding information from defense attorneys, showing up late to court, and repeated discovery violations.

After the complaint was filed by the Attorney Regulation Counsel to the Supreme Court last week, Stanley gets 28 days to respond. From there, the case proceeds much like a civil case. The evidence will eventually be heard by a Presiding Disciplinary Judge who then will make a ruling.

Legal experts say there’s a very real possibility Stanley loses her law license and is disbarred.

 

[Seattle1]

Every judge in one Colorado district recuses themselves from murder case after DA does TV interview about suspect

District Attorney Linda Stanley could lose her law license after a complaint was filed against her to the Colorado Supreme Court.

www.9news.com

11/28/23

CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. — A Southern Colorado District Attorney was accused of breaking so many rules that every judge in her district was forced to recuse themselves from hearing one of her cases, because they thought they would have to file a complaint against her.

There's a reason why prosecutors aren’t supposed to speak publicly about cases before they go to trial, like the way in which 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley talked about a man charged with the murder of a 10-month-old boy he was taking care of.

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Stanley is the top prosecutor in Chafee, Fremont, Park and Custer counties. Before the man charged with murder was supposed to go to trial in her district, her interview raised questions. William Jacobs was charged with murder for the death of the little boy he was left to care for. Brooke Crawford was also charged with child abuse resulting in death.

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Court documents obtained by 9NEWS show the judge presiding over the murder case found the comments so unethical they considered filing a complaint against Stanley with the state.

The only issue is, if they did that, they would have to recuse themselves from all cases the DA is a part of. In a district as small as this, that would be impossible. So instead, the Chief Judge recused every single judge in the district and the case was asked to be transferred to a different part of the state.

"The Court was concerned that if, after hearing, the allegations in the Motion proved to be true, the presiding judge might feel compelled to file an ethics complaint against the elected District Attorney, Linda Stanley," District Court Judge Patrick Murphy wrote in a Nov. 13 order.

"This could possibly lead to recusal of that judge from all cases prosecuted by Mrs. Stanley. Removing a local judge from all criminal cases in a small district for an indefinite period of time would create a vacuum that would be impossible to fill."

[..]

 

[Seattle1]

Barry Morphew's attorney tries to get dismissal ruling changed to avoid being re-tried for murder | KRDO

Barry Morphew's attorneys tries to get dismissal ruling changed to avoid being re-tried for murder

krdo.com

6/13/23

CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Attorneys for Barry Morphew, the Chaffee County man previously arrested and charged with the murder of his wife Suzanne, are trying to change his dismissal ruling from without prejudice to with prejudice.

Cutting through the legal jargon, the main difference between the two dismissals is whether or not a person accused of a crime can be re-tried in a court of law. In April 2022, a Fremont County Judge ruled that Morphew can be re-tried by dismissing the case without prejudice.

Now, in a motion filed on April 18, elected District Attorney Linda Stanley states that Morphew's Attorney Iris Eytan is asking for a judge to set a date when this dismissal ruling can be changed. Stanley argues in the motion that, "Crim. P. Rule 55.1(7) in no way states a court can change a dismissal without prejudice to a dismissal with prejudice at a date certain," Stanley's motion reads.

13 Investigates spoke with Colorado Springs attorney Jeremy Loew, who states this kind of change in ruling would be "almost unheard of."

Unsealed court documents in Suzanne Morphew disappearance case detail affair, marital issues | KRDO

Details from newly released court documents in the Suzanne Morphew disappearance case shed light on her apparent rocky marriage with Barry Morphew.

krdo.com

6/28/23

Ahead of the dismissal, 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley filed a motion to introduce text messages from Suzanne as evidence in the case in March 2022.

Barry's defense attorney, Iris Eytan, filed a motion, requesting the court to limit public access to the evidence and seal the documents.

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Nearly a year after the case was dismissed without prejudice, 11th Judicial District Court Judge Amanda Hunter denied the motions to limit public access, unsealing the documents.

“While it may be legally possible for Mr. Morphew to be tried in this matter, whether and when he will be tried is a matter of speculation,” Hunter said in her court order. “The arguments advanced by Mr. Morphew that relate to the proximity of trial and the ability to impanel a jury are significantly weakened by the dismissal of charges.”

After a hearing Monday, some of the documents were released to the public.