GEORGE BRAUCHLER, a Republican district attorney known for his tough-on-crime approach, is leveraging his extensive experience prosecuting some of Colorado’s most infamous cases to address rising crime in the blue state. In January, BRAUCHLER was sworn in as the first-ever district attorney for Colorado’s newly established 23rd Judicial District, marking the first time in over 60 years that the state has added a new judicial district.
BRAUCHLER previously served as the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, where he handled high-profile cases such as the Aurora theater shooting and the Columbine High School massacre. “I was a very young prosecutor when Columbine happened, and Columbine was the high school immediately to the south of where I graduated from high school,” BRAUCHLER told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I thought at the time that would be the biggest, worst case I would ever handle, and I was wrong.”
Reflecting on his career, BRAUCHLER emphasized the unpredictability of prosecuting major cases. “You end up developing a skill set and an expertise. And then you find yourself in a position to run for the first new district attorney’s office in over 60 years in Colorado,” he said. “There just isn’t anybody that brings to this job right now the kind of experience that I have. And I hope to use it for the benefit of my community.”
One of BRAUCHLER’s recent victories includes securing a rare first-degree murder conviction in a high-profile DUI case, the first murder trial in the 23rd Judicial District. The case involved PAUL STEPHENSON, 57, who caused a fatal crash in Castle Rock last August after consuming a bottle of Fireball and two beers. The collision killed LT. COL. MATTHEW ANDERSON, a 39-year-old Air Force test pilot and father of four, while injuring three of his children.
“We pursued it aggressively and charged the driver with first-degree murder based on extreme indifference,” BRAUCHLER said. “The jury came back with a guilty verdict in about three and a half hours, and we’re all pretty satisfied with that outcome.”
BRAUCHLER stressed the importance of addressing preventable crimes like DUI. “This was Sunday, in the middle of Castle Rock, not a highway. If we don’t vigilantly attack this problem, we’re going to see more of this,” he said. “This guy chose to risk people’s lives, and now he’s going to lose his freedom.”
As a Republican DA in a heavily Democratic state, BRAUCHLER noted the challenges of maintaining a tough-on-crime stance in a progressive environment. “I’ve made a real point of telling the public that we’re going to be an office that stands for the rule of law,” he said. “That message has been overwhelmingly received in a positive way.”
BRAUCHLER also criticized the trend of glorifying criminals in media and entertainment, citing the Menendez brothers’ case as an example. “There’s no good message that comes out of these two ever walking out of prison,” he said. “We should de-glorify the criminals and focus more on the victims.”
As he continues his work in the 23rd Judicial District, BRAUCHLER aims to uphold accountability and justice, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility in the criminal justice system.
[Sources: Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com)