Victim’s Family Opposed to Death Penalty Meets Resistance from Colorado Prosecutor

The parents of a slain corrections officer in Colorado have asked to testify in opposition to a death sentence for their son’s alleged killer, but prosecutors have challenged their right to intervene. Eric Autobee’s (pictured) parents say that their son “would not have wanted someone killed in his name.” Prosecutors maintain Colorado law only allows victim impact statements to discuss the harm that resulted from the crime. The Autobees, in a court filing quoting Colorado law, argue that a victim has the right “to adequately and reasonably express his or her views’ regarding ‘the type of sentence which should be imposed by the court.’” (emphasis in original). Kate Lowenstein of Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights agreed, “Disagreeing with the prosecutor – opposing the death penalty when the prosecutor is seeking a death sentence – should not mean that you are silenced.”

(A. Cohen, “When Victims Speak Up in Court - in Defense of the Criminals,” The Atlantic, January 28, 2014). See Victims and Arbitrariness.