PETITION TO STOP THE RELEASE
OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS
Tell Colorado’s DAs to demand a special legislative session to repeal dangerous competency laws that allow for violent offenders to walk free.
To Colorado’s Elected District Attorneys,
We, the undersigned citizens of Colorado, call upon you to stand together as ministers of justice and public safety by urging Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Legislature to convene an emergency special session to repeal or amend HB24-1034, HB24-1355, and SB25-041. These recent laws have dangerously altered Colorado's competency-to-stand-trial process.
As these laws stand, they are failing our communities. Across Colorado, violent offenders, some with extensive criminal histories, are avoiding prosecution under overly broad incompetency provisions. They are being removed from the criminal justice system, held for short-term mental health treatment, and often released within 90 days. In other cases, procedural changes have led to unnecessary delays, weakened victim protections, and expanded the pathway for offenders to bypass trial entirely. This leaves the public vulnerable, victims without justice, and Coloradans in fear.
We cite just a few recent examples:
Solomon Galligan, a registered sex offender with a violent history, attempted to abduct a child from an Arapahoe County elementary school. Despite video evidence and past assaults, including a brutal attack on a woman outside a courthouse, all criminal charges were dismissed on August 7, 2025 and instead he will be civilly committed, likely to be released again within months.
Joel Lang confessed to killing Kristy Kerst, a devoted mother and grandmother, in a McDonald’s parking lot in Monument. Yet his case was dismissed on incompetency grounds, denying her family the justice they deserve.
Austin Benson, previously found incompetent in a 2018 Douglas County shooting, had his guns returned to his family. Months later, he used one in another random shooting in Aurora.
We recognize that mental health must be treated with compassion, but compassion must never override justice. Families deserve protection. Communities deserve safety. Victims deserve their day in court.
As Colorado’s District Attorneys, your constitutional oath and professional code of ethics demand that you act when the laws themselves put the public in danger. Rule 3.8 of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct outlines the special responsibilities of prosecutors. As noted in its commentary, a prosecutor’s role is to seek justice, not merely convictions. When a law obstructs justice, your voice matters more than ever.
We ask you to:
1. Speak publicly and collectively about the dangers posed by HB24-1034, HB24-1355, and SB24-041.
2. Call for an emergency special legislative session to repeal or amend these statutes.
3. Advocate for balanced reform that protects the safety of our communities.
4. Uphold your duty to act in the interests of victims, children, and the people of Colorado.
We stand with you as you stand for justice. Do not allow this pattern of violence and legal evasion to continue. Let your voices speak out on behalf of every Coloradan, every victim, and every community that looks to you for courage and accountability.
Respectfully,
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