Judge “concerned” that newly-set date for reconsideration of 110 year sentence will “turn this thing into a circus”

A date has officially been set for the hearing to reconsider the 110 year sentence of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos. 

First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King of Colorado scheduled the hearing for January 13th, 2022 on Monday, December 27th. King says her office will likely recommend a sentence of 20 to 30 years for Aguilera-Mederos in lieu of the current 110. 

The date for the reconsideration hearing was set at a separate status hearing on Monday, during which Judge A. Bruce Jones set out to resolve procedural questions about the case due to its unusual nature. In this case, the prosecution initiated the request for a lower sentence rather than the defense, which is not typical. Additionally, the 110 year sentence even drew criticism from the Jones, who said he was adhering to a Colorado state law requiring sentences from each count to be served consecutively but said that “if I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence.”

The January 13th hearing will take place in person. Jones says he prefers that Aguilera-Mederos be in attendance, but does not wish him to testify. However, Jones did say that he will allow family members of the victims in the crash to testify at the hearing, or submit their testimony in writing. Additionally, anyone who wants to submit something in writing on Aguilera-Mederos’ behalf will be allowed to do so. However, Jones recognizes that allowing these testimonies may bring about some chaos. 

“I’m concerned about turning this thing into a circus, and it will not be a circus as far as I’m concerned,” Jones said Monday.

“This is an exceptional case and requires an exceptional process,” King said to reporters after Monday’s hearing.

“The defendant caused the death of four people, serious bodily injury to others, and the impact of his truck caused damage to many more in our community,” King continued. “Knowing all of that, my office started the resentencing process the same week the defendant was sentenced, so that the court could consider an alternative sentence that was not bound by mandatory sentencing structures.”

“The law doesn’t really distinguish between people like Mr. Mederos, who is not a danger to society, and other people that are sentenced to life that are a danger to society. And I think that the law needs to make those kinds of exceptions,” said James Colgan, one of Aguilera-Mederos’ attorneys.