A former Colorado sheriff’s deputy was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the shooting death of a 22-year-old man in distress who called 911 for help after his car got stuck in a small mountain community. The incident occurred in June 2022 in Silver Plume, a former mining town along Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver.
The former Clear Creek County Deputy, Andrew Buen, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide but was acquitted of the more serious charge of second-degree murder. The jury had the option to convict Buen on the lesser charge of homicide, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison.
Prosecutors alleged that Buen needlessly escalated a standoff with Christian Glass, who was in a mental health crisis and refused orders to exit his SUV. The defense argued that Buen acted in self-defense to protect a fellow officer as Glass had a knife.
Despite the conviction, murder convictions against officers are rare in the United States. Buen's case is one of the few instances where an officer has been held accountable for actions taken while on duty.
The victim's mother, Sally Glass, expressed hope that the verdict would prevent similar tragedies in the future. She emphasized that her son was murdered and urged for justice to prevent other families from enduring similar losses.
The $19 million settlement reached with Glass' family led to changes in how officers are trained to respond to individuals in mental health crises. The settlement included establishing a crisis response team, training deputies in crisis intervention, and creating a virtual reality training scenario for law enforcement officers to focus on de-escalation tactics.
While Buen's conviction brings some closure to the community, it also highlights the challenges in holding officers accountable for their actions. The case serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in law enforcement and the need for continued efforts to improve police practices and accountability.
