AURORA, Colo. — A federal lawsuit claims former Aurora police chief Vanessa Wilson used her power as chief to have her partner's ex-girlfriend arrested in 2021. That ex-girlfriend, Kristin Nichols, is now suing Wilson, the city of Aurora and Adams County officials.
The 67-page complaint mostly focuses on a messy relationship between Nichols and Robin Niceta, the former girlfriend of Chief Wilson. The lawsuit details years of child custody battles and allegations of domestic violence between Nichols and Niceta.
A portion of the complaint talks about an incident in August 2021 involving then-Police Chief Wilson. The lawsuit said Niceta claimed someone came into her home and hit her in the head. She lost consciousness, the lawsuit said, and police transported her to the hospital.
According to the lawsuit, police called her then-girlfriend Police Chief Wilson to tell her what happened. Wilson then met with the officers and expressed concerns about Nichols and called her "dangerous", said the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims Wilson called the Assistant District Attorney for Adams County and used her position as police chief to influence the Assistant District Attorney to expedite the arrest of Nichols.
"Ms. Wilson bragged about getting her current girlfriend's ex arrested to other officers in APD," said the complaint.
Nichols was arrested the same day, and she was charged with domestic violence, criminal attempt, second degree assault, second degree burglary, and criminal mischief, said the lawsuit. Nichols claims the charges were based off of Niceta claiming she recognized Nichol's voice in the house and statements from Nichol's five-year-old daughter.
In the lawsuit, Nichols said she spoke to a member of APD's Fugitive Surveillance and Apprehension Team who said in all of his time with the department, he had never seen a warrant issued so quickly for this type of offense.
All of the charges against Nichols were dropped in June 2022, the lawsuit said.
In late December, an Arapahoe County District Court judge ordered Niceta to pay $3 million to Aurora City councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky who claimed in a lawsuit that Niceta made false accusations of child abuse made against her because she was critical of then-Police Chief Wilson.
Niceta faces criminal charges and is accused of filing a false child abuse claim against Jurinsky last year.
A DHS investigation determined Jurinsky did not do anything wrong, and the case was closed last February, according to Aurora Police. Niceta resigned from her position with DHS in May 2022 and was charged in the case with the following:
- Attempt to influence a public servant
- False report of child abuse
She has pleaded not guilty and has a trial set for May 2023.
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