Matthew Dolloff
A judge in Denver, Colorado cast doubt on Wednesday regarding whether a security guard can beat a murder charge in the shooting death of a police supporter.
“The precision with which the moment of the charged homicide is captured is unprecedented in the Court’s experience,” District Court Judge John Madden IV wrote in an order obtained by The Denver Post. He ruled that the bond against defendant, security guard Matthew Dolloff, should remain at $500,000 for the alleged second-degree murder of Lee Keltner. In the court’s estimation, evidence seemed to show that the shooting wasn’t justified.
“The evidence of which the Court is presently aware appears to show that, at the time of the shooting, there was no danger from the victim that placed the Defendant or anyone else in imminent risk of death or great bodily injury, and that the victim was backing away from the Defendant holding a can of mace,” the judge wrote.
The court cited pictures from a Denver Post photographer showing Keltner, 49, spraying mace at Dolloff, 30.
Security guard arrested in Denver protest shooting fired gun as victim used pepper spray, affidavit says https://t.co/vd5tIdQOny
— The Denver Post (@denverpost) October 13, 2020
Madden did issue a caveat, noting that there will be a lot more evidence to be considered, and more could lead to him taking another look at the bond.
The defense has requested an amount between $25,000 and $50,000, and argued their client acted in self-defense.
The fatal incident happened October 10 amid a right-wing “Patriot Rally” and a left-wing “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive” in Denver. Dolloff was there as security for local outlet 9News. Keltner’s son said his father was a pro-police demonstrator.
9News said that contracted Dolloff through Pinkerton, who in return said that he was not one of their employees, but an agent from a vendor. Mass Isborn, the company owner of Isborn Security Services, argued the defendant was acting in self-defense.
[Mugshot via Denver Police Department]
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