Denver, CO
Colorado Court of Appeals reverses sanction against Denver DA for pattern of discovery violations
The Colorado Court of Appeals this month reversed a discovery sanction against the Denver District Attorney’s Office after a judge found prosecutors violated a man’s rights two years ago when they turned over an exculpatory 911 recording just six days before his jury trial was set to begin.
Denver District Court Judge Eric Johnson dismissed all of the charges against the defendant to punish prosecutors for what he said was a larger pattern and practice of discovery violations by the Denver District Attorney’s Office, a sanction that has become significantly more common across the state in recent years as the Denver DA’s office and others have faced scrutiny over flawed practices.
The Court of Appeals left alone the judge’s discovery violation finding but rejected the sanction in a July 2 opinion, finding that Johnson did not give prosecutors a real chance to contest the judge’s finding of a broader pattern of such misconduct within the Denver District Attorney’s Office before he dismissed the attempted-murder case.
“Defense counsel never even mentioned a pattern and practice of violations before the court ruled from the bench,” the opinion reads. “Instead, the court raised the issue sua sponte (on its own) in its bench ruling. As a result, the prosecutor had no advance notice that the court believed that the District Attorney’s Office engaged in a pattern and practice of discovery violations or, based on that finding, that the court would impose the most severe possible discovery sanction.”
Judges must give prosecutors the opportunity to research and respond to allegations of a pattern of misconduct before imposing a sanction, the Court of Appeals panel found. They noted their ruling is the first time the issue has been considered in a reported case, that is, a published opinion that sets legal precedent.
The higher court sent the case back to Denver District Court for a new sanctions hearing on the discovery violation. They noted in their opinion that Johnson could once again dismiss the case as a sanction against prosecutors, as long as prosecutors have an opportunity to be heard first.
In the underlying case, which appears to be sealed and no longer public, defendant Ahmad Ahmed was charged with attempted murder and four counts of assault after authorities said he stabbed a person in front of a Family Dollar store in 2022. Two of the victim’s friends then threw rocks at Ahmed to drive him away, prosecutors contended. Ahmed later claimed he acted in self-defense.
Prosecutors did not share five 911 call recordings regarding the stabbing with defense attorneys until six days before Ahmed’s jury trial was scheduled to start in 2024. In one of those recordings, the 911 caller described Ahmed as the victim in the incident, not the assailant, and described the other people throwing rocks at Ahmed.
Ahmed’s defense attorneys immediately sought out the witness, who said he was willing to testify in the case but that he was traveling and would not be available for the jury trial scheduled six days later.
That prompted Ahmed’s defense team to object to the discovery violation in court, arguing that the 911 caller’s account was exculpatory and that prosecutors should have disclosed the recording to the defense team much earlier in the case, as required by Colorado’s rules of evidence. The defense asked Johnson to dismiss the case or issue other sanctions.
Prosecutors argued that the witness’s account was not exculpatory because the 911 caller saw only the second half of the incident — the rock-throwing — and not the preceding stabbing.
Johnson agreed with the defense, finding prosecutors violated Ahmed’s due process rights, and then took the extra step of finding that such misconduct was a pattern within the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Johnson cited two additional cases, one in which a prosecutor turned over crime scene photos “days before trial” and another in which the prosecutor turned over videos “a week before trial,” according to the opinion. He dismissed the case in part because it could not be rescheduled before a speedy trial deadline.
“The court concluded, considering the age and nature of the case, as well as the District Attorney’s Office’s recurring pattern of late discovery, that dismissal was the appropriate sanction,” the opinion reads.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment and James Karbach, a spokesman for the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, declined to comment since the criminal case is ongoing.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office has faced recent scrutiny for its discovery practices.
The office in October acknowledged that prosecutors failed to disclose police records to defendants in as many as 756 cases since 2022. Denver judges also found discovery violations in at least seven cases during the first few months of 2025, prompting at least two mid-trial dismissals.
Colorado officials are considering changing how the discovery system works after a task force found in December that the state’s system needs to be updated.
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
The NFL officially enshrined its 2026 class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. It was a loaded class that is headlined by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who are both going in as first-ballot selections.
Any time the Hall of Fame is discussed, fans of the Denver Broncos within Broncos Country have a rich history of players to discuss for possible enshrinement. Having already seen the likes of John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe and Steve Atwater receive busts in Canton, Broncos fans are hungry for more.
Fortunately for them, there are still several former greats who helped shape the success the organization has had who could gain entry one day. We rank them in descending order here.
6 Broncos who should be in Hall of Fame
6. Dennis Smith, Safety
Dennis Smith is rarely talked about in terms of inclusion into the Hall of Fame, but he should be. Sadly, having ended his career over 30 years ago, he’s becoming largely forgotten.
Smith had over 1,100 career tackles to go along with 30 interceptions and was one of the best safeties of his era. A first-round pick of the Broncos in 1981, Smith made the Pro Bowl six times and was selected as a first-team All-Pro in 1984 and again in 1986. He spent his entire 14-year career in the Mile High City and was known as one of the hardest hitters in the game.
Atwater, long considered the best safety in team history, was able to learn under Smith as a young player, and even he would likely tell you that he wouldn’t have become the player he was without having Smith there with him.
5. Lionel Taylor, Wide receiver
Lionel Taylor actually left the Chicago Bears to pursue a playing career in the upstart AFL in the 1960s, where he became the first great wide receiver in Broncos history.
Taylor played seven seasons in Denver and was named to the first-team All-AFL squad in four of them. He caught 543 passes for 6,872 yards and scored 44 touchdowns in that time. Having played so long ago, it’s a long shot that he will ever get to Canton, but that makes him no less deserving of the honor.
4. Karl Mecklenburg, Linebacker
Coming to the Broncos as a 12th-round pick in 1983, Karl Mecklenburg faced long odds of making much out of his NFL career. All he did was become one of the most versatile and consistent defensive players of the 1980s.
Mecklenburg went to the Pro Bowl six times and was named a first-team All-Pro four times. He is credited with over 1,100 career tackles and he was just a steady force on the Denver defense as he could line up all over the formation and be effective. His 79 career sacks still rank third in team history.
3. Louis Wright, Cornerback
Louis Wright was a “shutdown corner” before the term was even used. As good as the “Orange Crush” defense of the Broncos was, it’s hardly represented in the Hall of Fame. It is somewhat shocking that Wright isn’t part of it.
Wright went to five Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro four times. A member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, Wright is the only cornerback on that team not in the Hall of Fame, as Roger Wehrli, Jimmy Johnson and Willie Brown have all gained entry.
2. Rod Smith, Wide receiver
One of the greatest undrafted players in NFL history, Rod Smith went from a player from tiny Missouri Southern to the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in Broncos history. Yet Smith doesn’t get much recognition outside of Denver.
He wasn’t flashy; he was just consistent. Playing his entire 12-year career in Denver, Smith finished with 849 catches for 11.389 yards and 68 touchdowns. You can compare those numbers with some wide receivers already in Canton and see that Smith’s are better.
But it’s not just statistics that made Smith so good. He was a leader on and off the field and a terrific teammate. Those traits helped the Broncos win two Super Bowls while he was there, and he was a key contributor on both of those teams.
1. Mike Shanahan, Head Coach
The wait for Mike Shanahan to be in the Hall of Fame will hopefully not drag on too much longer as it’s obvious he should be there.
Aside from being one of only eight coaches to win back-to-back Super Bowls, his 170 career wins are tied for 19th-most in league history. He was also the architect of the offense of the 1994 San Francisco 49ers that broke records in Super Bowl XXIX.
Credited as one of the best offensive minds the league has ever seen, Shanahan was also known for being able to take any running back and turn them into a star. Beyond the 2,000-yard season posted by Terrell Davis in 1998, Shanahan’s system churned out 1,000-yard rushers left and right, often with players no one had ever heard of.
Shanahan will likely have to sit and wait his turn behind Bill Belichick, but as he’s soon to be 74 years old, let’s hope the wait isn’t much longer.
The self-driving car company Waymo has moved to the next phase of testing in Denver by removing the backup drivers.
Up until recently, Waymo employees drove around town while the cars and system collected data to get to know the area. At the moment, only company employees can use the driverless Waymo. The public will be able to book rides later this year.
This move comes as a new study found that driverless Waymos appear to crash less than human drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety compared crash rates in four major cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Austin, from 2021 to 2024. It found that the self-driving Waymos were involved in 68% fewer crashes than vehicles driven by people.
Denver is an important testing ground for Waymo. It’s the company’s only test city that regularly sees snow and ice. The company hopes to eventually expand into the metro area and Denver International Airport.
By utilizing Kalshi promo code DENVER, new customers can unlock a tiered sign-up bonus worth up to $500 after making $25 in trades ahead of Saturday’s MLB matchups. Click here to start the sign-up process.
This welcome offer provides a strategic entry point into the action, allowing users to trade on high-profile prediction markets like the 70-45 Atlanta Braves taking on the 64-51 New York Yankees, the Athletics visiting the 63-51 Boston Red Sox, and the Toronto Blue Jays facing the 62-54 Philadelphia Phillies. Whether analyzing the data for these marquee matchups or evaluating other MLB games this week, this promotion adds direct value to your trading strategy on Kalshi.
Kalshi Promo Code DENVER Delivers $500 in Trading Bonuses
| Kalshi Promo Code | DENVER |
|---|---|
| New User Offer | Up to a $500 trading bonus |
| Terms and Conditions | 18+ and Present in the US (Not Available in MI, NV) |
| Bonus Last Verified On | August 8, 2026 |
Available exclusively for new Kalshi customers, this promotion awards a randomized trading bonus once users engage with the platform’s MLB prediction markets. Whether you are analyzing the 54-62 Toronto Blue Jays visiting the 62-54 Philadelphia Phillies or the 45-70 Athletics taking on the 63-51 Boston Red Sox, this welcome offer is the perfect mechanism to gain market exposure.
To claim this offer, new users must make a first-time deposit of at least $1 and execute a total of $25 in trades on Kalshi’s prediction markets. Once the trading threshold is met, users will receive a bonus based on the following tier distribution:
- 70% of participants will receive a $15 trading bonus
- 24% of participants will receive a $35 trading bonus
- 5% of participants will receive a $75 trading bonus
- 0.65% of participants will receive a $100 trading bonus
- 0.35% of participants will receive a $500 trading bonus
Saturday MLB Preview: Best Matchups
| Matchup | Implied Probability |
|---|---|
| ATL @ NYY | 56% / 44% |
| ATH @ BOS | 29% / 71% |
| TOR @ PHI | 40% / 60% |
When analyzing the marquee matchup between the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, conflicting data points create an intriguing market. Atlanta brings a more efficient lineup to the plate, boasting a .250 team batting average compared to New York’s .231 mark. However, the Yankees hold a distinct edge on the mound, carrying a stellar 3.33 team ERA that outpaces the Braves’ 3.63 ERA.
Meanwhile, Boston holds a commanding market position against the visiting Athletics primarily due to their run prevention. The Red Sox feature a robust 3.50 team ERA, creating a massive statistical advantage over an Oakland pitching staff that currently struggles with a 5.41 ERA.
Getting Started With Kalshi Promo Code DENVER
Getting started and unlocking your bonus on Kalshi is a straightforward process. Follow these highly structured steps to ensure you successfully claim your sign-up reward:
- Register an Account: Click on the links on this page and create your new profile. You will need to provide standard personal information and supply proof of identification to verify your identity.
- Enter the Promo Code: During the registration process, correctly enter the promo code DENVER to link the welcome offer to your account.
- Make a Deposit: Once your identity is verified, initiate a first-time deposit of at least $1.
- Execute Your Trades: To activate the randomized bonus, you must execute a total of $25 worth of trades on the platform.
It is important to note that you are not required to make a single trade worth $25. You can efficiently diversify your predictions, perhaps allocating a portion to the Atlanta Braves taking on the New York Yankees, and another to the Toronto Blue Jays facing the Philadelphia Phillies. As soon as the total sum of your executed trades reaches the $25 threshold, your specific trading bonus tier will be unlocked and credited to your account.
-
Augusta, GA2 minutes agoMike Collins hosting U.S. Senate campaign rally in Augusta
-
Washington, D.C8 minutes agoOne year in, Trump’s troop deployment in D.C. is ongoing, unending, pointless — and very bad
-
Cleveland, OH14 minutes agoCleveland police investigating shooting that sent man to hospital
-
Austin, TX20 minutes ago
Artist Talk: Somos Animales Poéticos, On and On and On , and Out of Place
-
Alabama26 minutes agoMarshall Pritchett’s Alabama QB comments point to the choice Kalen DeBoer must make
-
Alaska32 minutes agoNo credible threat found after Alaska Airlines flight reports
-
Arizona38 minutes agoPolice investigating deadly single-car crash in Tempe Sunday afternoon
-
Arkansas44 minutes ago
Arkansas Lottery Cash 3, Cash 4 winning numbers for Aug. 9, 2026
