DENVER DA BILL RITTER APPEALS JUDGE'S DECISION IN HEBERT CASE

December 17, 2001

Contact: Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025

Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, Jr. has filed an interlocutory appeal today in the Hal Hebert murder case, in which he seeks a Colorado Supreme Court review of recent rulings by a Denver District Court judge.

Hebert was charged April 20, 2001 with first degree murder in connection with the murder of his wife, Carol. Her body was found on April 12, 2001 in the trunk of her car.

On December 7, 2001, a Denver District Court judge granted several defense motions that effectively suppressed most of the evidence in the case. The appeal filed today asks the Colorado Supreme Court to review those rulings and determine if the trial court erred in granting the defense motions and suppressing evidence.

*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