We have a long and proven record of winning First Amendment cases.
Ryan Brown
Andy McNulty, working with the ACLU of Colorado and co-counsel, obtained a $212,000 settlement for Ryan Brown. Ryan was pulled over by Colorado Springs police officers for “driving while black” and began recording the stop on his phone. In retaliation, officers forced him out of the car at gunpoint, pushed him to the ground face down in the snow, searched him, and cuffed him. The officers also grabbed his phone, stopped the recording, and threw it in the snow. Andy held the officers accountable for the gross violation of Ryan’s rights and the settlement also included several revisions of Colorado Springs’ policies on stops, searches, and recording officers.
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Kevin Ravenscroft
Mari Newman and Andy McNulty obtained a $150,000 pre-litigation settlement for Kevin from Aurora, Colorado. The Aurora police unlawfully entered his home and arrested him because he asserted his constitutional rights. As part of the settlement, Aurora was forced to change a number of their policies.
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Robert Cluster
Andy McNulty and co-counsel obtained a $70,000 pre-litigation settlement from the City of Loveland after Loveland police officers arrested Robert and briefly detained him for holding a homophobic sign relating to Jared Polis on a busy street corner.
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Susan Greene
Mari Newman and Andy McNulty obtained a $50,000 settlement from Denver, Colorado for Colorado Independent Editor Susan Greene, whose First Amendment rights were violated when Denver police officers wrongfully handcuffed and detained her for photographing police. As part of the settlement, Denver agreed to significantly strengthen First Amendment and sensitivity trainings for police. The department also agreed to update its policies on police bias and search and seizure of recording devices.
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Terrell Clayton
Terrell was arrested for recording a substation of the Colorado Springs Police Department was detained and had his camera seized. He was subsequently released with no citation or charges. Andy McNulty obtained a settlement from Colorado Springs less than six months after Terrell’s rights were violated for $44,000 and significant non-monetary terms, including the alteration of the City of Colorado Springs Police Department’s policies and significant additional training.
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Sean O'Connell
Sean was detained for less than five minutes for recording outside of the Pueblo police station. He was subsequently released with no citation or charges. Andy McNulty obtained a pre-litigation settlement from Pueblo of $41,000 and significant non-monetary terms, including the alteration of the Pueblo Police Department’s policies and significant additional training.
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Alexander Armijo
Andy McNulty obtained a $25,000 settlement for Alexander, who was illegally blocked on Facebook, in violation of his First Amendment rights, by Senate President Leroy Garcia. The settlement included an admission from Senator Garcia that he violated Alexander’s rights and an agreement to unblock Alexander.