Outrage at prosecutor in case over tasteless Facebook post, while 4.5 million people, including Kim Kardashian and a juror, his petition against the 110-year sentence of a truck driver in 2019 crash, Colorado DA files review motion.
Millions, including the judge and juror, disagree with 110-year sentence of truck driver
At least 4.5 million people have already signed a change.org petition calling for the resentencing, commutation or clemency for a truck driver involved in a deadly crash that occurred in Colorado in 2019.
Then-23-year-old truck driver Rogel Aguilera-Mederos experienced brake failure on a steep descent of Interstate 70 near Denver, losing control, eventually reaching a speed of about 85 mph before crashing into dozens of stopped cars which caused an explosion. Four people were killed in the crash. Another 28 vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of vehicular homicide and 23 other charges, receiving a 110-year sentence, Fox reported.
Prosecutor files motion for review of lengthy sentence
On Tuesday, Colorado First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King filed a motion asking the court to set a hearing to review the lengthy prison time.
“As Colorado law required the imposition of the sentence in this case, the law also permits the Court to reconsider its sentence in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances,” the motion filed by King states. “This would allow for the conditions to be met for a modification of the defendant’s sentence as was discussed by the People in the initial sentencing hearing.”
Prosecutors have sought minimum penalties, the highest of which is 10 years. However, the number of charges and the requirement that they must be served consecutively added up to 110 years of prison time.
“The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution says punishments can’t be cruel and unusual, and as far as Mr. Mederos is concerned, this is a cruel and unusual punishment,” James Colgan, Mederos’ attorney, told ABC on Tuesday.
Outrage against prosecutor over tone-deaf post in trucker’s sentence
A Facebook post made by the prosecutor in the case of the Colorado truck driver has sparked an outraged backlash, which is being called tone-deaf, The Daily Beast reported.
A screenshot of the post was reported by NBC 9 Denver, in which Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Kayla Wildeman thanked a colleague for making a trophy of a brake shoe to celebrate the conviction.
District attorney Alexis King released a statement calling Wildeman’s “post was in very poor taste” and did not reflect the overall views of her office, and clarifying that the brake shoe was not evidence from the case.
A call for “immediate disciplinary action and a formal apology,” has been made by the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Judge and juror agree excessive sentence is “not right”
During the sentencing hearing last week, District Judge A. Bruce Jones said he was not angry, but did not have the discretion to impose a sentence less than 110 years in prison, the Washington Post reported.
“If I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence,” Jones said.
Jones stated that Colorado law required “every crime of violence has to be sentenced consecutively.” Therefore, even though he was permitted to impose only the minimum prison time for each charge, the accumulated charges equaled 110 years.
A juror in the Houston truck driver case said the 110-year prison sentence is ‘not right,’ the Daily Mail reported. The juror made the comments anonymously to Fox31, adding he felt for the families of the victims, but also felt compelled to speak out against the lengthy sentence.
“There is just something wrong to where a judge cannot intervene in some way and say the way this is written is not right,” the juror added.
Kim Kardashian backs clemency for truck driver
Celebrity Kim Kardashian, who is pursuing a law degree, has also spoken out against the long prison sentence for the truck driver, her status as an influencer getting the story out to the masses.
“I know everyone has been posting about Rogel Aguilera-Mederos this week. I took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is,” Kardashian tweeted.
“I pray that Governor Polis, who has been a leader on supporting reforms that increase human dignity in the legal system, will commute his sentence,” Kardashian wrote in another tweet on Tuesday.
