'It's So Weird To Be Outside': Mennonite Investigator Free From Jail

By Jeff Todd

DENVER (CBS4) - After spending two weeks in jail for contempt of court, Greta Lindecrantz walked out of the Arapahoe County Detention Center Monday night.

"It's so weird to be outside. I haven't seen the sun since I went in there," Lindecrantz said.

The 68-year-old devout Mennonite had been jailed since late February after refusing to testify in a hearing for Robert Ray who has already received the death penalty.

"I followed my faith and my moral compass and tried to do what I thought was right with the information that I had. I don't believe killing my fellow human beings is the right thing to do," Lindecrantz said. "It's my understanding that the defense team believes I'm hurting Mr. Ray at this point by not testifying."

After Lindecrantz changed her mind, a judge ordered her release. She could testify as early as Wednesday or as late as early April.

"Being in jail, I really had to question my punishment for my faith. That's what it felt like to me, like I was being punished for my beliefs," Lindecrantz said. "Jail's not easy. Jail is everything it's meant to be and more."

On Sunday night, other inmates gave Lindecrantz a card offering support. And on Monday the entire jail pod erupted in a cheer when inmates found out she was released.

Lindecrantz has also received support on a daily basis from her church's members and even received letters from all over the world offering support.

"I couldn't ask for a better support group than them," she said. "Right now, I can't wait to hug my husband because I've really missed him and he's been a trooper and incredibly supportive. I just want to see him."

Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.