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Attorney: Police questioning shooting suspect without legal counsel

Ray Erku
For The Aspen Times

A defense attorney for the Glenwood Springs man accused of erratically firing a weapon at police officers and his roommates last summer argued his client is being interrogated without legal counsel by his side.

Craig Robbins, at the time 44, allegedly shot his roommate — also his acting landlord — in the abdomen over an eviction altercation in July 2022. The roommate survived.

Robbins also took another roommate hostage and eventually began firing upon a Glenwood Springs police officer coincidentally patrolling the 1000 block of Riverview Drive at the time. This led to an hours-long standoff between Robbins and several responding officers.



Negotiators successfully talked him out of the house without anyone else getting hurt.

Robbins, charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder, was booked into the Garfield County Detention Center on a $2-million bond.




Craig Allen Robbins

Public defender Alex Haynes on Tuesday told 9th Judicial District Judge Anne Norrdin that Robbins, since then, is being contacted by law enforcement without any legal counsel there to protect his rights.

“Law enforcement is having contact with my client without counsel’s knowledge,” Haynes said. “It’s my understanding that Mr. Robbins was expressing throughout the duration of that contact, ‘Where’s my lawyer? What’s happening? Where’s my lawyer?’

“We certainly should have been apprised.”

Haynes also accused the state of mishandling the collection of a DNA samples taken from Robbins, which is detailed in a discovery violation motion filed by his defense.

“Since the first one was improperly executed, I certainly expect to be apprised of any future contact with Mr. Robbins,” he said.

He then requested a preliminary hearing be set on all of Robbins’ counts, including any crimes of violence. This would allow defense witnesses to come testify during the preliminary hearing. 

Deputy District Attorney Heidi Bauer objected to the preliminary hearing being set on any crimes of violence.

“I think we can brief that issue if we need to,” she said. “But, I do understand that we’re going to set prelim on all other accounts. I expect it would be half day. I don’t expect that there’s a need for defense witnesses because it is a prelim.”

Norrdin did allow any briefings to be filed by Haynes within three weeks.

A preliminary hearing for Robbins, where prosecutors must present enough evidence to take the case to trial, is now set for 9 a.m. on May 1.

Post Independent western Garfield County reporter and Assistant Editor Ray K. Erku can be reached at 612-423-5273 or rerku@postindependent.com

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