CHARGES FILED IN LIBRARY ATTACK

January 22, 2002

Contact: Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025

Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, Jr. has filed formal charges today in connection with an attack at the Denver Public Library that occurred last week, leaving a woman seriously injured.

50-year-old Tommy Lee Young (DOB: 5-3-51) is charged with attempted first degree murder (F2), first degree assault (F3), and menacing (F5).

On January 15, 2002 the victim was in the library when she was approached from behind by a man who put his hand over her mouth and brought a knife up to her face. As she tried to get away, the man began to stab and cut her. The attack continued as she fell to the ground and screamed for help. The man fled as people came to help. Denver Police later arrested Young in the 1300 block of Grant Street and took him into custody.

The next court appearance for Young is scheduled for Thursday, January 24, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. in Denver County Court, room 12T, for formal advisement. He remains in the Denver County Jail. Bond is set at $100,000.

The presumptive range for sentencing for a class two felony is 8 to 24 years in prison; the range for a class three felony is 4 to 12 years; a class 5 felony is 1 to 3 years.

*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