News & Commentary

The Redemption Campaign is a statewide effort to liberate 1,000s of people from Colorado prisons over the next 5 years by challenging Governor Polis to use existing clemency powers in new and transformational ways. Our mission is to replace the architecture of mass incarceration with a roadmap to redemption. See the redemption campaign in action below as we work to bring people safely home from prison.

Even in the midst of coronavirus shut-downs, we have an opportunity today to celebrate. Today, Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 100 repealing the death penalty in Colorado and clearing death row.

To protect our staff and the public from the COVID-19 coronavirus, staff of the ACLU of Colorado will be working from home for at least the next two weeks starting Monday, March 16. Please do not come to our office, which will be closed, but be assured that we will still be working hard to protect civil rights and civil liberties in Colorado. Your patience is appreciated with any returned deliveries or delays in processing of mail. For legal intakes, you are encouraged to use our web-based form if at all possible. Thank you for supporting the ACLU and please take care of yourself and those you love in this challenging time for all of us.

ACLU of Colorado is deeply saddened by the death of Judd Golden, 70, on January 28, 2020. Judd was killed in a head-on collision on I-25 north of Pueblo when another car crossed the median. A long-time ACLU leader and volunteer, Judd was head of the Boulder Chapter of the ACLU for 20 years and a member of the chapter beginning in 1985. He was a volunteer cooperating attorney with the ACLU of Iowa starting in 1974, and moved to Colorado in 1984 as the Mountain States Counsel, a national ACLU staff attorney position based in Denver. Judd is survived by his wife Julie Golden, who also served in co-director positions at the ACLU in Iowa and Colorado.

In this episode, we continue our series on Colorado’s death penalty. Our guest Dean Sanderford, witnessed the horribly botched execution of his client, Clayton Lockett. Public Policy Associate, Helen Griffiths interviews. Read the ACLU of Colorado repor

Since October of 2012, it has been my enormous privilege to serve as Executive Director of the ACLU of Colorado. Now, I am preparing to move on from this position, after completing our current fiscal year on March 31. I would not do this if I were not confident that we have the resources, staff and expertise to continue the critical work we do every day. You can read the official announcement at ACLU-co.org. 

The Purple State Report is back and we begin the new year with a series of podcast episodes analyzing Colorado’s death penalty. In this episode, our guest is Sister Helen Prejean, a prominent anti-death penalty activist and author of Dead Man Walking. Public Policy Director, Denise Maes and Public Policy Associate, Helen Griffiths interview. Join ACLU of Colorado on January 14,

2020 is here, and this will be a very important year for the ACLU, Colorado and our nation. Here are seven ACLU of Colorado resolutions for the New Year to help guide our work and yours: