Family Of Man Fatally Shot In Rocky Ford Might Sue Police Department
LA JUNTA, Colo. (CBS4) - A Rocky Ford police officer appeared in court to face a second-degree murder charge on Wednesday.
James Ashby, 41, faces the charge in the Oct. 12 death of Jack Jacquez Jr., 27, who was shot in his home. Circumstances surrounding the shooting are detailed in the arrest warrant, but that document has been sealed, which is frustrating some people.
"There is not anything that we can release to the media," Otero County District Attorney James Bullock said. "Our disclosures or governed by the rules of professional conduct, and we're in compliance with those."
Protestors carried signs to Ashby's first court appearance asking for justice for Jack Jacquez Jr., where the judge lowered Ashby's bond from $500,000 to $150,000.
Jacquez's father says his son wasn't perfect but he was good guy.
"Some people would think that he was a gangster, but he was not a gangster. He was a pretty nice kid, pretty mellow kid," Jack Jacquez Sr. said. "He had some growing up still yet to do like a lot of young men. I haven't grown up completely myself, probably."
He told KKTV in Colorado Springs the death of his son has been difficult and he wants justice.
"You know, it's hard for my family and of course hard for me. Of course it's the baby of my children. I love my son very much, I love my children very much."
Jacquez senior says he would like to know why Ashby was even at his son's home.
"I'm curious to find out why he was even there, you know, there was no reason for him to be there. There was no one called for a disturbance, no warrant to be issued, to the best of my knowledge anyway. Why was he even there without another officer or at least a body cam?"
Jack Jacquez Jr.'s fiancée and his mother claim he just returned home from helping a friend babysit when an officer came through the door and shot him.
Jacquez Jr. was carrying nothing but a skateboard when he was shot, according to his mother and fiancée.
"He was shot in the back in his own home, and I don't believe Ashby had a reason to be there," Jack Jacquez Sr. said.
The shooting led to protests in the small farming community. The family told KKTV they might take legal action against the police department.
