GEORGETOWN — Simon Glass plugged his ears along with his fingers when his son’s voice — recorded in a 911 name within the last hours of his life — echoed throughout a Clear Creek County courtroom Friday.
He sat arm-in-arm along with his spouse, Sally Glass, as prosecutors and protection attorneys supplied opening statements within the jury trial for former Clear Creek County Deputy Sheriff Andrew Buen, who shot and killed their son, 22-year-old Christian Glass, in June 2022 after Glass referred to as 911 for assist throughout a psychological well being disaster.
Fifth Judicial District Lawyer Heidi McCollum argued in opening statements that Buen’s actions that night time have been “aggressive, extreme and felony,” and stated he by no means ought to have shot and killed Glass, who posed no menace to officers.
Buen’s legal professional, Carrie Slinkard, targeted on what she stated was a shoddy regulation enforcement investigation and urged investigators ignored proof Glass was below the affect of medicine in an effort to construct a case in opposition to Buen, who’s charged with second-degree homicide, official misconduct and reckless endangerment in Glass’ loss of life.
“Andrew Buen shot a frightened, scared Christian Glass whereas he was in his automobile not harming anybody,” McCollum informed jurors.
“I can confidently let you know that they haven’t carried out their job,” Slinkard stated of investigators.
Buen, 30, who was fired from his job as a Clear Creek County deputy after he was indicted, sat quietly along with his attorneys throughout the opening statements, usually taking notes. Christian Glass’ mother and father sat close by within the entrance row. Sally Glass put her head down and wept as prosecutors described the second Buen shot and killed her son.
Prosecutors say Glass was experiencing a psychological well being disaster when he referred to as 911 on the night time of June 10, 2022, and requested for assist as a result of he’d crashed his automobile right into a rock in Clear Creek County and was caught. He informed the dispatcher that he was afraid of “skinwalkers” and folks chasing him.
Seven regulation enforcement officers responded and spent greater than an hour attempting to coax Glass out of the automobile whereas he was experiencing delusions and paranoia. Glass informed the 911 dispatcher that he was not harmful, however did have two knives and a rubber mallet within the automobile with him. Glass at one level supplied to throw the knives out of his automobile, however Buen informed him to not.
Ultimately, the officers determined to interrupt Glass’ window and pull him from the automobile, regardless that Glass was not suspected of a criminal offense. One talked about it was “time to maneuver the night time on.”
As they did so, Glass grabbed a knife and officers fired a Taser at him and shot him with beanbags in an try and power him to drop it. As an alternative, Glass twisted within the driver’s seat and thrust the knife towards an officer standing subsequent to the shattered window behind him, prompting Buen to shoot him 5 occasions. Glass then stabbed himself a number of occasions.
A grand jury later discovered Glass dedicated no crime, acted in panic and self-defense earlier than he was killed, and that he by no means truly got here near stabbing the officers. The concerned regulation enforcement companies agreed to a $19 million settlement with Glass’ mother and father in Could.
On Friday, Slinkard urged Glass was not, actually, experiencing a psychological well being disaster, however fairly was appearing surprisingly as a result of he was on medication. She confirmed jurors pictures of pipes and marijuana equipment that have been present in Glass’s car and spent most of her opening assertion discussing methods during which she thought the investigation into the night time’s occasions fell brief.
Though there isn’t a dispute that Buen shot Glass, she questioned why prosecutors didn’t examine Glass for careless driving or driving below the affect.
“He’s positively excessive, however we don’t even know what he was excessive on as a result of they haven’t bothered to look into it,” she informed jurors.
Glass’s post-mortem reveals he had a blood alcohol content material of .01, and had marijuana and amphetamine in his system when he died.
McCollum informed jurors to not be distracted by the protection’s concentrate on “tangential” points and inspired jurors to as an alternative look at Buen’s actions as soon as he arrived on the scene of the automobile crash.
“Practically all the pieces he did that night escalated the state of affairs, resulting in Christian Glass’ loss of life,” she stated.
Fifteen jurors have been seated for the trial, with 13 girls and two males. Buen is one in every of eight regulation enforcement officers to be charged with crimes in reference to Glass’s loss of life. He faces as much as 24 years in jail if convicted.
Buen’s supervisor, former Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kyle Gould, was not there throughout the incident however watched live-streamed video from the deputies’ physique cameras and gave Buen permission to interrupt into Glass’ automobile. Gould pleaded responsible to failing to intervene within the extreme power of one other officer in November and was sentenced to 2 years of probation. He additionally agreed to by no means once more work as a regulation enforcement officer.
The opposite six officers who have been there that night time have been charged with failing to intervene within the extreme power of one other officer on the identical day as Gould’s responsible plea. These circumstances are ongoing.
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