1-Color
March 21, 2014
75 cents Arapahoe County, Colorado | Volume 94, Issue 5 A publication of
englewoodherald.net
Suspect enters plea of insanity Englewood woman accused of beating man to death By Tom Munds
tmunds@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
ernment and how many people are working for the government. “I think I might like to get a job with the government,” she said. “I would really like to get one of the more important jobs like being president of the United States.” Clayton Elementary School’s Shyanna Mader agreed she learned a lot preparing for Liberty Day. “I learned a lot about how our government works,” she said. “I guess I didn’t know about the divisions or all the steps taken to keep everything working and balanced.” She said she liked studying the amendments and her favorite was the amendment that allowed 18-year-old residents to
Forsythia Owen, who has been charged with murder in the death of Denzel Rainey, made a brief court appearance for arraignment March 17 where her defense attorney Joe Archembault said Owen was pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. She was in custody and wore maroon jail attire, handcuffs and shackles on her ankles that were attached to a chain around her waist. Before her case was called, she sat in the jury box with other in-custody prisoners and chatted with the woman next to her. When her case was called, she joined her defense attorney at the podium where the attorney entered her plea. Marilyn Antrim, 18th Judicial District Judge, then told Owen she would undergo evaluation at the Mental Health Institute in Pueblo. The judge told Owen that counselors at the institute would talk to her about the facts of the case and of her life. The judge let her know she didn’t have to talk to the counselors but advised her that not talking to the counselors may not be in her best interest. The judge then ordered Owen Owen be transported from the Arapahoe County Jail to the Pueblo mental health institute for evaluation. Judge Antrim said the counselors would prepare a report and she set May 23 at 11 a.m. as the date and time to review the report. Owen was arrested Sept. 23, 2013 for allegedly beating Rainey to death with a baseball bat. On Dec. 12, Judge Antrim ruled at the pretrial hearing there was sufficient evidence to order arraignment. Owen could face charges of first-degree murder after deliberation and assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury. Additionally she could be facing sentenceenhancement charges of violent crime causing death and violent crime where a weapon was used. Since it is a first-degree murder case, Owen has been held in Arapahoe County Jail without bond. Preliminary hearings are held to provide the information the judge needs to determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish probable cause to believe the defendant committed the crime. The prosecutor can call witnesses and the defense attorney can cross-examine the witnesses. On Dec. 12, prosecutor Jason Sears called Englewood Detective Brent Vogel to testify in the case. Vogel, lead detective in the case, testified to details, including police discovery of Rainey, the information gathered in the three interrogation sessions with Owen that led to her arrest. The detective said he attended the Sept. 23 autopsy and the coroner ruled Rainey died from blunt force trauma to the head. Rainey also suffered six broken ribs, both arms were broken, several fingers were broken, his liver was lacerated and he suffered injuries from blows to his
Capitol continues on Page 11
Plea continues on Page 11
Englewood fifth-graders wore red T-shirts to identify themselves while participating in Liberty Day activities March 13 at the Colorado State Capitol. Photos by Tom Munds
Fifth-graders visit state Capitol Students quiz visitors about Constitution at Liberty Day festivities By Tom Munds
tmunds@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Twenty-one Englewood fifth-graders traveled to the Colorado State Capitol on March 13, joining dozens of other students from other school districts for Liberty Day activities. “We have taken part in Liberty Day at the state Capitol for the last four or five years,” said Gail Stine, Englewood’s gifted and talented specialist. “Again this year, each fifth-grader in the district was asked to study a booklet containing the Constitution. There were tests and seven students from each of the three elementary schools were selected for the Liberty Day field trip.” The Englewood students arrived at the Capitol in Denver, and their group was escorted into the gallery to watch members of the House of Representative debate and vote on bills. As they moved into the hallway, a Liberty Day representative wearing a white wig and clothing representing the late 1700s talked with the Englewood students about the Constitution. He asked them questions and they quizzed him. The students then moved outside where they asked visitors to the Capitol questions about the Constitution. Typical questions included the length of term of a U.S. Senator, some of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment and how many terms can a president serve. Jasmine Tanner, a fifth-grader from Bishop Elementary School, said being part of Liberty Day enabled her to learn a lot about the Constitution. “I heard about the Constitution but I
Jane Yant of Lafayette, left, listens as Nicole Button and Kadyn Kruse ask her a question about the Constitution. Button and Kruse were among 21 Englewood fifth-graders who went to the Colorado State Capitol on Liberty Day.
‘I learned a lot about how our government works. I guess I didn’t know about the divisions or all the steps taken to keep everything working and balanced.’ Shyanna Mader didn’t know much about it,” she said. “Preparing for Liberty Day I learned that our Constitution is very important because, without the Constitution, there would not be a United States.” She said she learned a lot about the gov-
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