In a critical victory for transparency and judicial accountability, a Colorado judge has stepped up to save the day—blocking a blatant, shady attempt by the District Attorney’s office to sweep its own misconduct under the rug.

The ruling occurred during a pre-trial readiness conference for Nancy Ray Medina Coachas, whose prosecutions span multiple case files, including 25CR253, 25CR298, and the new Kuster County case 26CR11. The proceeding highlights a dark pattern of prosecutorial overreach and administrative evasion.

The Shady DA "Do-Over" Strategy

District Attorney Jeff Lindsey’s office was caught in a highly questionable maneuver. After accumulating a disastrous record of discovery violations and court-imposed sanctions for failing to disclose key evidence to the defense, the DA tried a tactical reset.

They filed a motion to dismiss two older Fremont County cases against Coachas, but demanded the records be sealed. At the same time, they secured a new grand jury indictment in Kuster County (26CR11) based on the exact same underlying facts.

The plan was transparently shady: use the new case as a "do-over" to start with a clean slate, while locking away the public files containing the evidence of the DA's own wrongdoing.

"The only reason that the district attorney himself wants that record sealed is to prevent public disclosure and access to the very record of his wrongdoing."

— Defense Attorney Mr. Cutler
Case Brief: People v. Coachas

Props to the Judge for Saving the Day

Instead of rubber-stamping the DA's request, the judge stepped in to preserve the integrity of the court. The judge delivered a massive blow to the prosecution with two key decisions:

1. Refusing to Seal the Records: The judge agreed with the defense's objection, keeping the files open to the public. If a public official commits misconduct, the public has a right to see it. The record of the DA's sanctions and procedural failures remains a matter of public interest.

2. Carrying Over the Sanctions: The judge ruled that the cases are "uniquely intertwined." In a decisive blow to the DA's reset attempt, the judge ordered that all prior sanctions and discovery violations found in the dismissed cases will carry over to the new case (26CR11).

By ensuring the sanctions follow the DA into the new trial, the judge prevented the prosecution from escaping the consequences of their actions. The DA cannot simply wipe their slate clean by changing case numbers.

Abuse in Custody Exposed

The hearing also shed light on disturbing treatment of Coachas while in custody at the El Paso County Jail. Despite a July 7th court order requiring medically necessary accommodations, Coachas’s defense revealed that the jail has refused to fulfill them. She has been denied a walker, sunglasses and a hat (essential for her medical condition), and basic medical monitoring.

While prosecutor Ms. Turner insisted that the DA's office had done its job by forwarding the written order to El Paso County Under-Sheriff Jeff Kramer, she dismissed the defense's concerns about misconduct and jail conditions as "name calling" and "accusations."

However, the judge noted the discrepancy immediately, stating: "With all due respect, I can see right now that the order is not being followed."

Why This Matters

This is why judicial accountability exists. When prosecutors act shabbily and try to abuse administrative rules to hide their mistakes, we need judges who refuse to play along. The records remain public, the sanctions remain active, and the receipts are still on the table.

A special thank you to LawNerds Unite on YouTube for their invaluable coverage of these local courtrooms. Independent media remains the ultimate check on government overreach.