Here’s another bizarre case for the records. After her husband was shot and killed, a Durango County woman has been arrested and charged with perjury in an investigation following the sentencing of the shooter, her own brother. Perjury is a crime that no Colorado criminal defense lawyer wants to deal with, as it naturally pokes serious holes in the credibility of any case.
The Random House Dictionary defines perjury as “the willful giving of false testimony under oath or affirmation, before a competent tribunal, upon a point material to a legal inquiry.” In lay terms, this means that if you lie in court after swearing to tell the truth, you’ve committed perjury, which is a serious crime.
Suzanne Garcia, an administrative assistant at local Park Elementary School, was in Baltimore when the shooting actually took place. Nevertheless, she has been charged with a whopping eight felony charge counts of perjury. Pursuant to regulation 1-CCR 301-38, the school district has notified parents directly of the arrest, according to the superintendent’s administrative assistant, Jane Schold.
The County Sheriff’s office has declined to comment on the specifics of the charges, but has said that the investigation is ongoing and there will likely be even more counts coming down the pike. This is a fairly shocking turn of events in a case that has been surprising from the get-go; Garcia has been known as a relatively stand-up individual in the community, having been a cheerleading coach and even run for political office in the state House’s 59th District.
No doubt that as the investigation continues and more charges possibly come to light, the details of the exact nature of these eight counts of perjury will be revealed; it will be interesting to see how Garcia’s defense attorneys deal with the issue.
Contact the Law office of Ellmann & Ellmann today, for further questions and Concerns on your case. We have the experienced Lawyers that can assist you.