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Court Briefs

Man accused of pimping wants DNA excluded

A Mancos man accused of drugging, pimping and raping his child's mother is hopeful that DNA evidence won't be allowed at trial next month.

Court-appointed defense attorney Katherine Whitney argued at a pretrial conference before District Court Judge Todd Plewe on Dec. 18 that her client's DNA evidence shouldn't be presented. Whitney said prosecutors had yet to provide the forensics evidence to the defense. The two-week jury trial is set to start Jan. 20.

Whitney, who represents Christopher Collins, 34, indicated she would file a defense motion to bar the evidence. Collins was required to submit his DNA after his arrest in May. He faces multiple counts of sexual assault.

Last week, the court granted the defense a green light to subpoena telephone records between the defendant and the alleged victim. Whitney said the records would show that her client was innocent.

The court rejected a renewed defense request to examine investigative notes made by a caseworker in a related child neglect case. Plewe said the defense failed to show the documents existed.

Meth dealer from Mancos gets 90 days

A convicted meth dealer from Mancos has been sentenced to 90 days in jail, three years of probation and 300 hours of community service.

Bruce Ramsey, 45, received the sentence last week, after pleading guilty in October to two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute.

Court records reveal that a confidential source with the Drug Enforcement Agency set up a drug buy from the defendant last fall.

Ramsey was allowed to report to the Montezuma County jail on Dec. 29.

tbaker@cortezjournal.com