MESA COUNTY, Colo. — A Mesa County jury on Friday returned a split verdict against former county clerk Tina Peters, who was arrested on multiple obstruction charges in February 2022.
Jurors found Peters guilty of obstruction of government operations but acquitted her on a charge of obstruction of a peace officer. She's scheduled for sentencing April 10.
Grand Junction Police approached Peters in a bagel shop in Feb. 8, 2022, to execute a warrant related to her iPad, on which she is suspected of improperly recording a court hearing for her deputy clerk.
An arrest affidavit says that when officers tried to seize the iPad, people sitting at the table with her started passing around the tablet. Police detained Peters as she allegedly tried to stop an officer from taking the iPad.
Video shows Peters yell at and struggle with the officers who detained her.
"At this point the suspect attempted to kick back with her right leg to strike Officer Tafoya," the affidavit says. "She missed Officer Tafoya's body, but did contact Officer Tafoya's Taser and magazine pouch where they were located on Officer Tafoya's belt. I told the suspect, 'Do not kick! Do you understand!?' Sgt. Church also asked the suspect to 'please relax,' which she yelled, 'No!'"
The affidavit states a district attorney investigator did seize the iPad, though Peters claimed it did not belong to her.
The verdict on Friday only applies to Peters' obstruction case. She still faces felony criminal charges in a separate case related to her alleged involvement in a data security breach involving the county's election equipment.
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