SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Every person accused of first-degree murder in Colorado now has a chance to bond out of jail before a potential trial. Judges are issuing very high amounts while victims hope suspects stay in jail.
Bonds like this are required now statewide, but in the 5th Judicial District, bonds had been issued for a handful of capital offenses even before the ruling.
5th Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum doesn't think murder suspects should be eligible for bond, but in her court, she'd seen bonds issued in three capital cases since 2014.
"It is my opinion anyone who is charged with that crime should not be bonded out," McCollum said. "They should not be eligible for bond. They should not have any monetary amount posted and the bond should be a no-bond hold."
Before June 20, people accused of first-degree murder could be held with no bond because the crime was punishable by death.
The state's highest court ruled that because state lawmakers repealed capital punishment -- the death penalty -- in Colorado in 2020, first-degree murder, a capital offense, must be eligible for bond.
As a result of the ruling, judges across the state are setting sky-high bonds for people accused of murder. Those bonds include:
- A $100 million cash-only bond for David Lechner in Arapahoe County, who is accused of killing his wife Tracy Lechner.
- A $10 million cash-only bond for James Craig in Arapahoe County, a dentist accused of poisoning his wife Angela Craig.
- A $15 million bond for Sonny Almanza in Arvada, who is accused of shooting and killing a police officer in September.
- A $9 million cash bond for Christopher Martinez in Arapahoe County, who is accused of killing three members of his family in December.
McCollum's judicial district covers Summit, Clear Creek, Eagle and Lake counties. She said bonds for capital offenses are not the norm in her courts.
Before the ruling, McCollum said, it only happened three times since 2014.
In those three cases, the judges set bond amounts from $500,000 to $1 million, she said.
"I will tell you none of those defendants posted those bonds and they did remain in custody," she said.
Victims' families are arguing for suspects to stay behind bars before trial. McCollum wants that certainty, too.
"I don't want to take that chance," she said. "I don't want to take the chance on another person in my community being brutally murdered."
Some district attorneys in Colorado have told 9NEWS they wonder if defense attorneys will file motions to challenge these very high bond amounts set by judges. McCollum said she's never seen that in her district for first-degree murder.
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