Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos: Colorado; Bulletin: Major (Welcome Development): A Colorado District Attorney has announced plans to ask for a review of the 110-year sentence of the driver of an out-of-control tractor-trailer that led to a fatal crash in 2019..."Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was found guilty in October on charges including vehicular manslaughter, first-degree assault with extreme indifference and attempted first-degree assault with extreme indifference and under Colorado law was required to serve the prison terms for each charge consecutively, rather than concurrently. Judge A. Bruce Jones said he would not have issued the effective life sentence if not forced by sentencing requirements and millions of people last week signed a petition supporting clemency for Aguilera-Mederos. The petition noted that Aguilera-Mederos did not have a criminal record and passed all of the drug and alcohol tests that were given following the crash. "This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the driver's part," the petition stated."

PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "First Judicial District Attorney Alex King announced that she filed a motion Friday to hold a hearing to reconsider the sentence of Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, who was convicted on 27 counts for the fiery crash that killed four people. "As Colorado law required the imposition of the sentence in this case, the law also permits the Court to reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances," the motion states. Additionally, the motion stated that "supplemental information" would be filed as "the People have begun conferring with the victims in this case to obtain and consider their input in advance of the Court's hearing."

----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

STORY: "Colorado DA asks for review of 110-year sentence of driver in fatal truck crash," by Report Daniel Uria, published by UPI, on December 22, 2021.

GIST: "A Colorado district attorney on Wednesday announced plans to ask for a review of the 110-year sentence of the driver of an out-of-control tractor-trailer that led to a fatal crash in 2019.

First Judicial District Attorney Alex King announced that she filed a motion Friday to hold a hearing to reconsider the sentence of Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, who was convicted on 27 counts for the fiery crash that killed four people.

"As Colorado law required the imposition of the sentence in this case, the law also permits the Court to reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances," the motion states.

Additionally, the motion stated that "supplemental information" would be filed as "the People have begun conferring with the victims in this case to obtain and consider their input in advance of the Court's hearing."

Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was found guilty in October on charges including vehicular manslaughter, first-degree assault with extreme indifference and attempted first-degree assault with extreme indifference and under Colorado law was required to serve the prison terms for each charge consecutively, rather than concurrently.

Judge A. Bruce Jones said he would not have issued the effective life sentence if not forced by sentencing requirements and millions of people last week signed a petition supporting clemency for Aguilera-Mederos.

The petition noted that Aguilera-Mederos did not have a criminal record and passed all of the drug and alcohol tests that were given following the crash.

"This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the driver's part," the petition stated.""

The entire story can be read at:

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/12/22/Colorado-DA-asks-review-110-year-sentence-driver-fatal-2019-truck-crash/9671640216292/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: "I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic"  section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;

FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

—————————————————————————————————

FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINAL, FINAL, FINAL WORD: "It is incredibly easy to convict an innocent person, but it's exceedingly difficult to undo such a devastating injustice. 

Jennifer Givens: DirectorL UVA Innocence Project.