Fort Collins Officer's Lawyers Try To Drop Charges

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- Lawyers for a Fort Collins police lieutenant accused of lying in a murder trial that resulted in a conviction that was later overturned because of DNA evidence have asked a judge to drop five of the nine perjury counts against him.

The Coloradoan reports James Broderick's lawyers argued Tuesday that some felony charges took Broderick's statements out of context or didn't show he was lying, among other arguments.

The charges stem from the investigation of Tim Masters, who spent almost 10 years in prison in the death in 1987 of Peggy Hettrick before he was freed.

Broderick was indicted last year on perjury charges that were later dismissed over concerns about the statute of limitations. He hasn't entered a plea yet to the refiled charges.

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