Thread: Colorado temporarily stops issuing new driver’s licenses

http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/2006 ... S/61215003


Colorado temporarily stops issuing new driver’s licenses

Associated Press
December 15, 2006

DENVER (AP) — The state temporarily stopped issuing new driver’s licenses Friday after a judge overturned a rule requiring license applicants to have two pieces of identification.

Motor vehicle offices will renew existing licenses but won’t hand out any new ones until officials can read the judge’s order in detail, said Diane Reimer, a spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue, which oversees licenses.

Reimer said the department is trying to determine if it can draw up emergency rules before it resumes issuing new licenses. The old rules were issued after Colorado passed a law this year barring state agencies from providing most non-emergency services to illegal immigrants.

Denver District Court Judge Larry Naves ruled Thursday the two-ID requirement was making it difficult for legal residents to get licenses.

Homeless advocates had filed a suit challenging the identification rule.

About Judge Naves

May 23, 2006
http://www.cobar.org/display.cfm?link=714

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Karen Salaz
303/837-3633
1-800-888-0001 Ext. 633

District Judge Larry Naves appointed as new chief judge in Denver

Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey has appointed District Court Judge Larry J. Naves as the new chief judge in the Second Judicial District. Naves will assume the position on July 1, 2006, upon the retirement of Chief Judge H. Jeffrey Bayless.

“Judge Bayless has been an exemplary public servant and I wish him well in his retirement,” says Mullarkey. “Judge Naves will be a strong, effective leader of the Denver District Court. I look forward to working with him.”

Judge Naves was born in Birmingham, AL. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Denver in 1968. In 1974 he received his juris doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he served in the Colorado Public Defender’s Office as a deputy state public defender from 1974 to 1979. He practiced in the U.S. Public Defender’s Office as an assistant federal public defender from 1979 to 1984. In 1984 he entered private practice with the law firm of Schoenwald, Burke & Naves.

In his 20 years on the bench, Judge Naves has handled all types of civil, domestic and criminal cases. He presently serves in the civil division.

Professional organizations Judge Naves is active in include the Denver Bar Association where he served on the board of trustees from 1992 to 1994, Colorado Bar Association, Sam Carey Bar Association, Colorado Supreme Court’s Civil Jury Instructions Committee, and Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline. He also served on the Colorado Children’s Chorale Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2005. Judge Naves is married and has three children.

Colorado is divided into 22 judicial districts, each with a chief judge. As chief judge in the Second Judicial District, Naves will serve as the administrative head of the district. He will be responsible for appointing the district administrator, chief probation officer and clerks of the court to assist in the personnel, financial and case management operations of the district along with seeing that the business of the courts is conducted efficiently and effectively. Other responsibilities include judicial assignments within the district.


Editor’s Note: There is a printable high resolution photo (17 megabytes) of Judge Naves available at http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/medi ... 3naves.tif

One of his better known cases

Gomez-Garcia gets the max: 80 years

The inmate, sporting a possible gang symbol on his head, declines to stay in court and face the anguish expressed by Detective Donald Young's widow, daughter and police partner, wounded in the May 2005 shooting.
By Howard Pankratz
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated:10/26/2006 05:37:23 AM MDT



Kelly Young, right, widow of police Detective Donald Young, and their daughter Kourtney listen Wednesday during the sentencing of Raul Gomez-Garcia. (AP / George Kochaniec Jr., pool photo)

Raul Gomez-Garcia, convicted of killing police Detective Donald Young and wounding his partner, Jack Bishop, was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum of 80 years in prison after Young's widow and the judge labeled the killer a "coward."

Gomez-Garcia had refused to attend his sentencing, infuriating Bishop and widow Kelly Young.

"He was a coward then; he is a coward now," Young said as she stood in tears and told of the pain Gomez-Garcia inflicted on her and her two young daughters, Kelsey and Kourtney.

"I'm shocked that Gomez-Garcia is not here," said Denver District Judge Larry Naves. "He approached the officers from the back in a cowardly fashion, and the fact he can't face the witnesses (today) is consistent with that kind of cowardly act."

Bishop and Donald Young were ambushed on May 8, 2005, as they provided security at the Salon Ocampo social hall, 1733 W. Mississippi Ave. Young died at the scene.

Gomez-Garcia, an illegal immigrant, fled to Mexico, where he was arrested June 4, 2005. He was brought back after Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey promised the Mexican government he wouldn't seek the death penalty or file a charge that carries a life sentence.

Gomez-Garcia had a right under Colorado law not to be present Wednesday. But that didn't soothe the normally mild-mannered Bishop.

"With all due respect, victims' rights are not taken into account," he said. "I think for myself and Kelly, he should be seated there to hear what we have to say."

Killer's mark

Prior to the sentencing, Gomez-Garcia was brought into the courtroom and was asked by Naves whether he wanted to attend the hearing. Etched into the hair on the back of Gomez-Garcia's head was the number 13.

Tim Twining of the Denver District Attorney's Gang Unit said the letter "M" is often associated with the Surenos street gang. It is the 13th letter of the alphabet and is usually used by members to denote "murder" or "Mexican."

An infuriated Bishop said Gomez-Garcia was using the number to thumb his nose at the proceeding and declare his gang affiliation.

DA's comment

"His lawyers were trying to stay in front of him so we couldn't see clearly what he had in the back of his head," Morrissey said. "But I could see the 13, and it is an affiliation with an L.A. gang that he had. It was not something that came up during the course of the trial, but obviously it is something he is very proud of today."

Defense lawyer Fernando Freyre said he couldn't comment directly on the matter.

"I will say that when someone knows they are going to spend the rest of their lives in prison, they often do things to ensure their own safety," Freyre said, adding that in prison, "people sometimes tell you how to dress."

Sgt. Frank Gale of the Denver Sheriff Department said Tuesday that Gomez-Garcia asked for clippers to cut his hair so he could be presentable in court. He said Gomez-Garcia's cellmate cut his hair, and deputies discovered the 13 on his head Wednesday morning.

Gale said that because of potential lawsuits, authorities couldn't shave the 13 off or order Gomez-Garcia to get rid of the number.

Bishop called the shooting a "horrific case" where Young paid the ultimate sacrifice.

"I serve in two roles - I'm a victim and a police officer," Bishop said. "Donnie and I were shot. It was a cold-blooded and cowardly shooting. (Gomez-Garcia) chose to do it, planned it and then did it. I'm furious with what he is getting away with here."

He recalled being with Young as he died and the trauma it has caused. "When you are there with a good friend and you talk to him for the last time, that is something that doesn't go well with me," Bishop said.

Family's anguish

Kelly Young said that Gomez-Garcia showed his true colors the night he ambushed the officers and when he refused to be present at the hearing.

"Donnie was a brave police officer. He (Gomez-Garcia) took away from me and my girls ... the most important person in our lives. I lost my soulmate and the person I intended to spend the rest of my life with," Young said.

Her girls, she said, lost their buddy, soccer partner and playmate.

A Denver jury convicted Gomez-Garcia of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. He received 48 years in Donald Young's death and 32 years in the shooting of Bishop.

Naves said that during the trial, Gomez-Garcia perjured himself and represents a danger to society. "He has shown by his conduct he is a risk to resort to extreme violence at the slightest provocation," the judge said.

The judge read a letter from Kourtney Young, 14.

"Why did he pull the trigger?" she asked. "The way I see it is that Gomez-Garcia had no self control, no feeling. He couldn't handle the fact that my dad was the bigger man and maybe embarrassed him in front of his friends.

"But that's life; it doesn't make it OK to go shoot someone," she said.

DENVER (AP) — The state temporarily stopped issuing new driver’s licenses Friday after a judge overturned a rule requiring license applicants to have two pieces of identification.

What kind of B.S. is this, don't most states require two pieces of identification?

I'm at a loss to understand how a judge has the power to overturn such a law in the first place. Hopefully the ruling will be appealed to a higher court.