Did This Ex-Police Officer Get a Fair Trial?

 

West Palm Beach, Fl - The story of James Ashby, an ex Rocky Ford, Colorado police officer, is not just another courtroom drama, it’s a case that continues to raise questions about justice, policing, and the rare convictions of law enforcement officers in the United States.

James tells his story on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available on their website for free, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most other podcast platforms.

This is an opportunity for Ashby to tell his side of the story in his own words. And you get to decide.

A Fatal Encounter in Colorado

In October 2014, Ashby shot and killed a 27-year-old man inside his own home while on duty. Prosecutors argued that Ashby had followed the young man after a confrontation on the street, ultimately firing the fatal shot in front of the victim’s mother.

Two years later, in 2016, a jury convicted Ashby of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison, making him the first Colorado police officer in decades to be found guilty of murder for an on-duty shooting.

The conviction was historic, but also deeply controversial.

Ashby’s Side of the Story

Recently, Ashby spoke as a guest on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and their website. He described his trial as flawed from the beginning.

“I was bewildered by the continued prosecution,” Ashby explained. “There were problems with the investigation, and I couldn’t believe it when the jury came back with a guilty verdict.”

After serving more than eight years in prison, Ashby was moved to a halfway house. He says prison life was far from how it’s usually portrayed in movies and television.

“So much of what people think they know about prison comes from TV and legacy media,” he said. “The reality is far different.”

Legal Challenges and Appeals

Despite his conviction, Ashby has not stopped fighting to clear his name. His defense has filed multiple appeals, most recently a 35C motion that alleged ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, and lack of access to critical police reports.

That motion, like others before it, was denied.

“It’s frustrating,” Ashby admitted. “We know there were serious issues in the trial, but the system doesn’t want to admit mistakes.”

Even the trial judge acknowledged the difficulty of the case, calling it “the most difficult case he’s had and probably will ever have.”

A Rare Conviction

Convictions like Ashby’s remain extremely rare in the U.S. In Ashby’s case, jurors deliberated for 11 hours before finding him guilty. Though he originally faced up to 48 years, he received a 16-year sentence. Meanwhile, the victim’s family won a $1.3 million settlement against the City of Rocky Ford, claiming city officials acted irresponsibly in hiring him.

A Mission to Clear His Name

Now outside of prison walls, Ashby has taken to social media, particularly Facebook, where he shares his story under the title Prisoner of War on Police. His mission, he says, is to shed light on what went wrong in his case.

“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” he said. “I’m determined to clear my name and to shed light on what went wrong in my case.”

The Ongoing Debate

The story of James Ashby remains divisive. Supporters believe he was unfairly targeted and prosecuted, while critics argue that justice was finally served in a case of excessive force.

The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most other platforms, has provided Ashby with a platform to tell his side of the story in his own words.

And perhaps that is where the answer lies, not in court transcripts or news headlines, but in the space where the public can listen to both sides and make their own judgment.

Final Thoughts

So the question remains: Did this ex-police officer get a fair trial, or was he wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder?

You can hear James Ashby tell his story directly on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available for free on their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most major podcast platforms.

Attributions

The Denver Post

Facebook

KKTV

Reuters

 


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