COLORADO: EIGHT DENVER SEX OFFENDERS BACK IN CUSTODY (Court Stays Earlier Ruling, Authories Re-Jailing)

Confusion began when the state Supreme Court ruled on September 18th that a 1993 law adding five year paroles to felony convictions could not be applied to sex crimes.  Eight of nine sex offenders who were turned loose in the weeks between the ruling on parole guidelines and the court's agreement to reconsider were taken back into custody on Sunday.  The court said a 1979 law limits parole for sex crimes to no more than the original sentence, therefore sentences of less than five years could not have a five-year parole attached.  Any sex offenders in prison for violating such a parole must be released.  Attorney General Ken Salazar asked the court to reconsider, and on Friday, the court stayed its earlier ruling and ordered a new hearing.  The stay gave corrections officers the authority to put the nine men who already had been released back behind bars.  The ninth parolee is believed to be out of state, and officers are working with officials there.  

(Denver, Colorado)