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Canon City lawsuit brews over
school assault probe
July 10, 2007
By Tracy Harmon
 CANON
CITY - A notice of intent to file a $1 million lawsuit was served by
attorneys for Royal Gorge Academy against city and county entities
whose employees allegedly slandered the school during an assault
investigation involving the former academy co-director.
The intent letter, filed by the law
firm of Gradisar Trechter Ripperger Roth & Croshal of Pueblo, was
sent to Canon City Police officials, City Manager Steve Rabe and
Attorney John D. Havens, as well as Fremont County Attorney Brenda
Jackson, County Commissioners Larry Lasha, Ed Norden and Mike Stiehl
and Fremont County Department of Human Services Attorney Rocco
Meconi and Director Steve Clifton.
The letter alleges that employees
of the Canon City Police Department, including Detective Jeff Worley
and employees of Fremont County Department of Human Services,
including Michelle Harris, interfered with the operation of the
business of the academy during the first week of January, "without
permission, entered onto the physical premises of the Royal Gorge
Academy, and, without probable cause, seized property of the academy
including but not limited to computers, computer files and student
files.”
In addition, police and human
services representatives are alleged to have contacted "most" of the
parents of the students at the academy "advising these parents to
remove their children from the Royal Gorge Academy. The authorities
allegedly libeled and slandered the academy by making untrue
statements reporting Royal Gorge Academy was not accredited, saying
any diplomas their children received would be valueless and of no
more value than a (general education diploma) and that the quality
of education was inferior," according to the letter.
"As a result of these statements,
numerous parents removed their children from the Royal Gorge
Academy, causing financial loss," according to the letter.
The academy is seeking $1 million
in damages plus attorney fees and court costs.
"Our policy is not to comment on
notices of intent to file suit," said Havens. "We have referred it
to our insurance carrier."
Randall Hinton, 32, was arrested by
Canon City police in January for investigation of allegations that
stemmed from a Dec. 29 incident during which a 17-year-old female
student at the campus reported she was forced to lie face down on
the floor with her arms at her side and palms facing up for 12
hours.
She also said Hinton twice grabbed
her arm and twisted it behind her back injuring her hand and wrist.
The incident was reported to police
by an adult employee working at the academy.
Hinton faces trial Aug. 27 on seven
third-degree assault charges and two counts of false imprisonment.
The alleged victims include the female from the initial report as
well as six male students at the school and stem from alleged
incidents that caused bodily injury last January as well as
throughout last year.
The private, co-ed school caters to
47 troubled youth ages 13 to 17 and is overseen by St. George, Utah,
based Octwell LLC. Royal Gorge Academy is housed in the former St.
Scholastica Academy, 615 Pike Ave., a 6-acre campus with numerous
buildings and dormitory housing.
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