Heather Willard / NewsBreak Denver / Jan. 30, 2023
(Clear Creek County, Colo.) An attorney for Kyle Gould argued in court Monday that the ex-sheriff’s office sergeant should not be charged for any part he had in the shooting death of Christian Glass on June 11, 2022.
Glass, 22, was shot to death on the side of a road in Silver Plume after his Honda Pilot got stuck. According to body-worn camera footage from the night, he called 911 for help and officers who arrived at the scene ordered Glass to exit his vehicle. When Glass refused, the situation escalated.
After a tense, hour-long standoff where officers attempted to break the driver’s side window, among other actions, Glass was shot to death.
In November 2022, Gould, 36, and Andrew Buen, 29, were fired from the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office and subsequently charged in relation to Glass’s death.
Gould was a sergeant in the Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office at the time of Glass’ death and is charged with negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. He was released on a $2,500 bond and appeared in court Monday with his lawyer, Christopher Brousseau.
Brousseau filed several motions in the case before the Jan. 30 hearing, arguing to dismiss the case due to lack of probable cause. The attorney argued Gould was not present when Glass was shot and only offered advice over the phone.
“Mr. Gould has said repeatedly, and I want to make this clear, that nothing that he or I say is in any way meant to diminish the pain and grief that Christian Glass and his family are going through,” Brousseau said. “There can be no question about the grief and agony they are going through, but Mr. Gould should not have been charged and he should not have been indicted.”
Brousseau said the indictment was inappropriate, but there was no chance for Gould to oppose the charges against him. He argued that the judicial review of Gould’s indictment should show a lack of foundation to charge the ex-sergeant.
“There were seven police officers on the side of the road in Silver Plume in June 2022 — Kyle Gould wasn’t one of them,” Brousseau said. “Kyle Gould was at home, he wasn’t working — he was called. He was asked to give input and advice and he wasn’t there.”
According to an independent investigation conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Gould authorized forced entry into the vehicle. The report stated Gould was off duty and had monitored the scene via “live stream” of Buen’s body-worn camera, at Buen’s request. Gould came to the scene after the shooting occurred and took Buen’s statement.
Brousseau said the case could also set up a dangerous precedent, allowing for charging of individuals never at the scene of a crime who offered advice, such as prosecutors or sergeants.
The 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will file a response to the request to find lack of probable cause by Feb. 14, and Gould can respond within the week following.
Attorney Carrie Slinkard, representing Andrew Buen, said she plans to file similar motions to dismiss the case based on lack of probable cause within the next few weeks, which the District Attorney’s Office can respond to as well.
Buen and Gould are scheduled to appear again in court at 11 a.m. April 17.
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