DATE: March 20, 2007

I am writing to inform you that the investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation of the incident at Platte Canyon High School on September 27, 2007, has been completed. I am grateful to you all for your assistance and cooperation throughout this tragic event and its aftermath.

On October 4th of last year, I sent you a memorandum requesting that you deny all public records requests and requests by the media for comment until the conclusion of the investigation. While the investigation is now completed, there remains much work to be done.

If your agency is in possession of any records, documents, recordings or other materials that relate to the incident, you will want to consult with your legal counsel and the Park County Sheriff’s Office before you release any of those materials to the public. Because no crime was referred to my office for prosecution, I will not be responsible for the public release of records in this case—except for those which directly relate to the investigation of the use of force by law enforcement on September 27th. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to work closely with the Park County Sheriff’s Office if and when you receive requests for information from the public or the media.

It remains essential that any and all information distributed for public consumption not come as a shock or insult to any of the hostages and their families. Human decency demands that the children and their families be kept informed of what information will be made available for public consumption and what will not. Out of respect for them and their privacy, I ask that you communicate your intentions to the Park County Sheriff’s Office so that their Victim Advocate, who already has a relationship with the hostages and their families, can keep them informed. Your continued cooperation in respecting these individuals and what they have been through is greatly appreciated.

Finally, if and when any records are released concerning the incident, I want to remind you of the laws protecting the privacy of sexual assault victims, and your statutory duties to guard that privacy.

CRS 24-72-304(4) directs that in any sexual assault case, criminal justice agencies must redact the name and any other information that would identify a victim prior to release of the record to any non-criminal justice agency (be mindful here of parent’s names if the victim is a minor, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers, place of employment, etc.). In addition, every page of a report, and the file the report(s) is contained in, must be stamped "SEXUAL ASSAULT."

Thank you, again, for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Molly Chilson
District Attorney
11th Judicial District
Park, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer Counties