Case Updates
August 20, 2001

Contact: Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025

Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, Jr. filed formal charges today against a man accused of a series of aggravated robberies.

Allen Benson (DOB: 4-26-55) is charged with eight counts of aggravated robbery (F3), one count of attempted robbery (F5), three counts of felony theft (F4), and four counts of misdemeanor theft (M2). He is already facing robbery charges in connection with three separate cases filed earlier this year. The charges allege that Benson robbed a variety of businesses including gas stations and check cashing stores over the last several months.

He remains in custody in the Denver County Jail.

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Charges have also been filed against a 17-year-old in connection with an incident on July 14, 2001 involving a road rage incident.

Tony Lilgerose (DOB: 10-16-83) has been charged as an adult with first degree assault (F3), vehicular assault (F5), menacing (F5), and possession of a handgun by a juvenile (M2).

He was not charged in connection with a subsequent shooting that left one man dead and another injured. Under Colorado law, self-defense is an affirmative defense to acts that would otherwise be criminal. In a case of this nature, the prosecution has the burden of not only proving the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, but also disproving self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. At this time, the facts of the case do not support a reasonable likelihood of conviction on additional charges, which is the standard applied to all case filing decisions. There is no statute of limitations on the filing of charges in a homicide case.

He remains in custody and is tentatively scheduled to appear in Denver District Court at 8:30 a.m., August 27, 2001 in courtroom 13.

*The filing of a criminal charge is merely a formal accusation that an individual(s) committed a crime(s) under Colorado laws. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. See Colo. RPC 3.6