Woman who tried to have officer’s guns confiscated faces perjury charge, CO cops say
A Colorado woman who sought to use the state’s “red flag law” to confiscate the firearms of a police officer who fatally shot her son now faces a perjury charge, KDVR reports.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warrant for the arrest of Susan Collins of Fort Collins on suspicion of perjury and trying to influence a public servant, The Denver Post says.
Holmes filed a court petition for an extreme risk protection order Jan. 9 against Colorado State University Police officer Philip Morris, McClatchy News previously reported.
Morris fatally shot her 19-year-old son, Jeremy Holmes, in 2017 after he charged officers while holding a knife, McClatchy reported.
A district attorney’s investigation found the shooting was justified, KDVR reported. No charges were filed against Morris.
Colorado’s red flag law is intended to allow “immediate family members, household members or law enforcement officers to file a petition requesting someone’s guns be seized on the basis that they’re a danger to themselves or others,” KUSA reported.
The person’s guns can be confiscated for up to a year if a judge agrees, according to the station.
In her petition, Susan Holmes checked a box saying she and Morris had a child in common, meaning her son, McClatchy News reported. While Morris had no relation to either Holmes or her son, Holmes said she had a different interpretation of the law.
But a judge dismissed the petition Jan. 16, saying Holmes and Morris are not related as required by law, KUSA reported.
The county sheriff’s office issued a warrant for her arrest Jan. 23, The Denver Post reported. Morris has not yet been arrested.
“Ms. Holmes demonstrated enthusiasm to abuse the legal system when she fraudulently filed a red flag affidavit besmirching the name of an honorable CSU police corporal,” said Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith, The Coloradoan reported. “In doing so, she sought to deprive the officer of his constitutional rights.”
On Friday, the sheriff’s office posted a “most wanted” poster of Morris on Facebook.