David Fathi, Director of the ACLU's National Prison Project, talks with KGNU's Joel Edelstein about Colorado's mass incarceration crisis. In addition to discussing our state's draconian sentencing laws, such as mandatory minimums, required parole and absurdly harsh penalties for personal drug use, he focuses in particular on Colorado's overuse of solitary confinement.

Listen to the entire interview here.

The ACLU of Colorado, and other activists for religious freedom, are calling on the United States Air Force Academy' to withdraw its inviation to fomer Marine Lt.  Clebe McClary, a self-professed "Member of the Lord's Army," who is scheduled to speak at the USAFA's February 10 National Prayer Luncheon.

In a letter to Lt. Col. Gould of the USAFA, C. Ray Drew, Executive Director of the ACLU of Colorado, wrote, "The ACLU has no wish to to limit Lt. McClary's feedom of speech in an off-campus setting. However, we are gravely concerned about his presentation at a government sponsored religious event where military personnel and cadets will be subjected to a clear endorsement of one religiion. The fact the event invitation was sent by senior leadership at the Academy is troubling as well. ...

"Government sponsored religious events such as the prayer breakfast are problematic , and are strictly out of bounds if the intent or effect is to proselytize the military audience. We endorse Michael Weinstein's letter of of January 20, 2011 as well as the issues and principles included in the letter by Jeremy Shaver of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. We believe the Academy certainly can find a more appropriate speaker for the luncheon than Lt. Clebe McClary, with his description of a complete Marine:  "USMC will always mean a U.S. Marine for Christ."

"The ACLU strongly supports religious freedom for all members of the military, but not at the expense of demanding allegiance of all to one government-endorsed faith or denomination. ... We look forward to a quick resolution of this issue."

The case of Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck's illegal search and seizure of private tax files from a Greeley tax preparer in 2008 is over. District Court Judge Stephen Schapanski drove the final nail in the coffin of the Weld DA and Sheriff's unconstitutional 2008 search of Amalia's Translation &  Tax Service.

Despite having reason to suspect only a single customer, deputies took 49 file boxes containing the tax returns and related information pertaining to nearly 5,000 clients.The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of business owner Amalia Cerillo and several of clients, asserting that their privacy rights were violated. Numerous judges, including the Colorado Supreme Court, agreed. 

This last ruling by Judge Schapanski orders that the temporary injunction issued in April of 2009 be made permanent. This ruling  directs the Weld County clerk to destroy all copies of information obtained from the illegal search and seizure of tax files from Amalia's Translation & Tax Service. Furthermore, Weld County authorities are forbidden from using or acting upon any information learned from the contents of those files.

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