DENVER, Colo. — Emotional victim impact statements and arguments over a negotiated plea agreement dominated a felony disposition hearing before Judge Andrew J. Luxen in Denver District Court, ending with the accused withdrawing his guilty plea and the case being continued.
The accused was expected to resolve the case through a plea agreement involving one count of criminal attempt to commit second-degree murder, with a proposed 12-year sentence.
Before the court heard the plea, the victim and several supporters discussed the long-term effects of the March 2025 attack.
The victim told the court that she continues to suffer from severe physical injuries, including burns and strangulation.
She said she now uses a breathing machine, struggles with daily tasks and no longer wishes to be identified as the accused’s victim.
“He stripped me of my dignity and self-worth,” the victim told the court.
The victim also stated that she is the mother of a child with severe autism and had previously trusted the accused to be with her family.
She asked the court to reject the plea agreement because she believed the proposed sentence did not reflect the gravity of the offense.
The victim’s mother also addressed the court, criticizing the criminal justice system and arguing that the accused should not have been released from prison before the current offense.
She claimed the accused had previously served a prison sentence for violent crimes and was on parole when the current offense occurred.
The victim’s mother told the court that her daughter’s life was forever changed by the attack, describing emotional and spiritual harm in addition to physical injuries.
She also criticized the plea agreement, claiming the family was not notified before it was reached and questioning why several charges were dropped.
“When do women’s lives matter?” the victim’s mother asked the court.
The victim’s sister was also present at the hearing.
Rachel Stoval, a community advocate, spoke in favor of restorative justice but expressed concern that the proposed 12-year sentence would not address the underlying causes of the offense.
Stoval told the court that everyone involved had suffered and urged the parties to find a way to end the cycle of violence.
The defense urged the court to accept the plea agreement, describing the accused as having accepted responsibility for his actions.
The prosecutor agreed that the accused was not beyond rehabilitation and requested that the court consider the negotiated resolution.
Judge Luxen dismissed counts one through seven under the proposed plea agreement and initially accepted the plea.
Following the ruling, members of the victim’s family expressed confusion about why the charges had been dropped and said they believed the agreement was too lenient.
The victim and her family then petitioned the court to postpone sentencing until a later date.
The defense objected to delaying the proceedings, and the prosecution and defense ultimately agreed that sentencing should proceed as planned.
Following several recesses, the proceedings took an unexpected turn when the accused withdrew his guilty plea. As a result, sentencing did not occur.
Judge Luxen rescheduled the disposition hearing for Friday, Aug. 28, at 1:30 p.m., when the case is expected to return to court.
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