Opinion ID: 813918
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: July 6, 2004 Hearing

Text: In his declaration for the district court, Mr. Freeman stated that he was escorted to the hearing less than five minutes before it started and was introduced to John Carroll, a CDOC case manager, who would serve as his inmate representative. Mr. Freeman also stated that he told Mr. Carroll he wanted to call certain witnesses. Mr. Carroll responded, according to Mr. Freeman, that he was there to help protect Mr. Freeman’s rights, not to advocate on his behalf. The hearing board consisted of Lts. Charles Tappe, Brian Braden, and Betty Riggin.2 The board advised Mr. Freeman of his right to request representation, witnesses, and continuances, as well as his right to remain silent. The board asked if he understood 2 At the time of the hearing, Lt. Betty Fulton. -- 5 “the charges against [him], as they are defined by the Code of Penal Discipline and the possible sanctions if [he was] found guilty,” and he responded that he did. Id. at 386-87. The chair then read the charges and asked whether Mr. Freeman understood them. Mr. Freeman responded that he did. The chair also stated that the sanctions for assault are up to 90 days of lost privileges, 30 days of punitive segregation, and 45 days of lost good time. After the chair noted that Mr. Freeman had requested an inmate representative but not witnesses when he was served the notice, Mr. Freeman responded that he had requested witnesses. The chair told Mr. Freeman that he could request witnesses while giving his testimony. The chair asked whether Mr. Freeman understood, but the transcript states there was no audible response. When the chair asked Mr. Freeman how he pled, he responded not guilty. The chair then swore in Lt. Directo and directed him to present the department’s case. Lt. Directo related the incident and charges as they were stated in the Notice of Charges. He also testified that Officer Bork sought medical treatment. The chair directed that a letter from a CDOC risk management case manager, stating the costs to date for Officer Bork’s medical treatment, be shown to Mr. Freeman. After Lt. Directo finished, the chair told Mr. Freeman that he could make a statement regarding his plea, “ask for witnesses to present evidence[,] or give testimony if you wish.” Id. at 392-93. Mr. Freeman responded that he would “like to talk to some witnesses first.” Id. at 393. There was a long pause. Then, apparently referring to the -- 6 letter stating the costs for Officer Bork’s treatment that had been handed to him, Mr. Freeman said, “This here doesn’t say what injuries were caused. She could have got in a car accident or something.” Id. The chair responded, “Go ahead and present your case then, Mr. Freeman.” Id. Mr. Freeman related his version of the incident and tried to point out problems with the case against him. He stated that he “never initiated any forceful or passive contact or any physical contact with” Officer Bork. Id. He asked why, if Officer Bork saw another inmate leave his cell with something hidden under his shirt, she had not stopped that inmate to investigate. He stated that, given their size difference, Officer Bork would have been in the hospital if he had pushed her. He also told the board that, if he had done all Officer Bork said, he would not have turned around and let her cuff him up when she told him to. The chair interrupted Mr. Freeman when he began talking about the difficulty officers later had in removing the handcuffs. The chair told him that he had gone beyond the incident in question and that the tightness of the cuffs had no bearing on the case. Mr. Freeman stated that he was trying to explain why he turned around while being cuffed and that Officer Bork could not be believed. The chair then repeatedly told Mr. Freeman that he had described the pain that he felt from the tightness of the cuffs and to move on, finally telling him that if he continued the board would cut him off completely. The chair directed Mr. Carroll to explain to him that he needed to move on. Mr. Freeman next attempted to discredit Lt. Directo’s investigation by asking him -- 7 if he had spoken to any of the inmates who witnessed the incident. Lt. Directo responded that he had not. Mr. Freeman again asked him, and Lt. Directo stated, “I asked the staff that were involved. I completed my investigation. That’s why you are getting charged with this.” Id. at 400. Mr. Freeman then asked if he spoke with Lance Spurlock, a CDOC staff member, and Lt. Directo admitted that he had not.3 Asked if he had anything else to present, Mr. Freeman requested polygraph tests for himself and Officer Bork. He asked why, if he had pushed Officer Bork so hard, the paints had not spilled out of the box she was holding and why she had not pushed the panic button like she was supposed to do. The chair again asked if Mr. Freeman had anything else to present, and Mr. Freeman responded that he did not. After conferencing with one another, the board found Mr. Freeman guilty of assault for pushing Officer Bork into a railing, pushing the box into her chest, and pulling away from her while she was trying to handcuff him. It explained that its decision was “based on the report by [Officer] Bork, presentation by Lieutenant Directo and by your own statements.” Id. at 404. It then imposed $1,626.20 in restitution for the injuries sustained by Officer Bork, a 90-day loss of privileges, and a 45-day loss of good time. The board later issued a written Disposition of Charges in which it found Mr. Freeman guilty of assault for the same conduct as in the oral disposition. The written 3 In his opening brief, Mr. Freeman explains that he anticipated that Officer Spurlock would testify to having heard Officer Bork plotting to get Freeman. -- 8 disposition listed as supporting evidence Officer Bork’s written statement, Lt. Directo’s presentation, and Mr. Freeman’s testimony. As the reasons for the penalties, it stated, “The seriousness of the assault; the assault was on staff and staff was injured.” Id. at 410. Mr. Freeman appealed to the Colorado state district court, which affirmed the conviction and sentence. On December 18, 2008, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed the assault conviction.