DENVER DA BILL RITTER APPEALS JUDGE’S DECISION IN AL-YOUSIF CASE

December 28, 2001

Contact: Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025

Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, Jr. has filed an interlocutory appeal today in the Naif Al-Yousif murder case, in which he seeks a Colorado Supreme Court review of a recent ruling by a Denver District Court judge.

Al-Yousif was charged Feburary 8, 2001 with first-degree murder and conspiracy in connection with the murder of Abdulaziz Al-Kohaji. His body was found on February 6, 2001 at the Erie, Colorado landfill.

On December 20, 2001, a Denver District Court judge granted a defense motion to suppress statements made by the defendant to Denver detectives. The appeal filed today asks the Colorado Supreme Court to review the ruling to determine if the trial court erred in granting the defense motion.

*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