EDITOR'S NOTE: Jeff Lindsey takes office after disbarred DA Linda Stanley is removed is the No. 4 story of 2024.
After less than seven weeks at the helm, Jeff Lindsey already has taken several steps to improve the performance and management of the 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Lindsey ran unopposed for office in the November election. His predecessor, Linda Stanley, was officially disbarred Nov. 1 for violations of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. Lindsey was sworn in remotely just after 5 p.m. the same day.
He will be sworn in as the elected DA on Jan. 14.
Acting District Attorney addresses Fremont County Commissioners
"I look forward to a challenging and fun opportunity," he said when he addressed the Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 12. "Being a prosecutor is one of the best jobs. We get to do the right thing. We get to go to court every day and do the right thing for the right reasons."
He acknowledged that a lot of things have happened in the past four years that need to be fixed.
Because of a pattern of discovery violations in the DA's Office and claims of violations of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct by the former DA, the office has been under fire and some severe sanctions have been imposed.
Lindsey is working to rectify those issues.
Since becoming the acting DA, Lindsey has brought in new attorneys and appointed Stacey Turner as Assistant DA upon her return to Fremont County earlier this month.
Jeff Lindsey sworn in as new district attorney after disbarment of predecessor
During a Nov. 19 motions hearing for an unrelated criminal case, Deputy District Attorney Wendy Owens told the court that Lindsey already has been hard at work.
"Mr. Lindsey has been in this office for two weeks," she said. "In those two weeks, he has done more to address the discovery issues in our office than Linda Stanley did in four years."
In those first two weeks in office, Lindsey held a full-day training with the entire office and met with support staff and attorneys to review the importance of discovery.
"He is working very hard on this," Owens said during the Nov. 19 hearing. "He is making the changes that need to be made, and we in the office are all on board with this. We are committed to making the discovery changes."
In an objection to a motion for sanctions based on discovery violations in an unrelated case filed Nov. 25 by Deputy District Attorney David Little, he states that since taking office, Lindsey had already begun taking steps to ensure that all attorneys and support staff were fully and appropriately trained on discovery obligations.
Lindsey held a comprehensive training on Nov. 15 on the Colorado District Attorneys Council case management program Action and on Rule 3.8(d) of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. Staff had been reassigned after auditing their training compliance, Lindsey resumed in-office 5-day work weeks, and a new head paralegal has been hired, the filing states.
Candidate Jeff Lindsey aims to restore confidence in the District Attorney's Office
Lindsey further disseminated a Rule 16 discovery guide for quick reference of deadlines and obligations. Lastly, Lindsey is seeking further resources for a discovery compliance position within the DA office, restructuring management among attorneys, and meeting with the office's IT vendor to create seamless, verifiable and checked discovery processes, the filing states.
Lindsey has further begun meeting with the heads of all local agencies and disseminated improvements from agencies, which the DA's office requires to perform discovery standards. These meetings and messages between law enforcement heads of office to improve filing processes are the first to occur since 2021, Little wrote.
Because of a pattern of discovery violations during the last few years, one case was dropped from first-degree to second-degree murder and child abuse, sexual assault and other felony cases have been dismissed.
"That's not representing the victims, that's not taking care of community safety," Lindsey said during an Oct. 15 candidate forum. "That's sending the message to the wrong people that maybe they can get lucky and get a sweetheart deal out of a case or maybe get the case dismissed."
No. 10. Fremont County school districts growing, upgrading with construction projects
No. 7. Law enforcement responds to manhunts in Cañon City
No. 6. Abbey Event Center closes its doors
No. 5. Disbarred District Attorney Linda Stanley's impact on several cases
No. 4. Jeff Lindsey takes office after Linda Stanley is removed