A former sheriff’s deputy in Colorado has been found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. This verdict comes after the tragic death of 22-year-old Christian Glass in June 2022. Glass had called 911 for help after getting his car stuck in the mountains, but the situation escalated when Deputy Andrew Buen arrived on the scene.
The jury decided not to convict Buen of second-degree murder, which has drawn attention to how law enforcement handles incidents involving individuals in mental health crises. Glass’s family reached a significant $19 million settlement with law enforcement, aiming to improve officer training in such situations.
Buen faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for the homicide conviction. After the verdict was read, he was taken into custody and is scheduled for sentencing on April 14.
Convictions of police officers for murder are quite rare in the U.S. In the last two decades, there have only been a handful of murder convictions against officers, according to criminal justice expert Philip Stinson. He noted that it’s common for officers involved in these cases to be convicted of lesser offenses instead.
Christian’s mother, Sally Glass, hopes this verdict leads to better outcomes in the future. She expressed her grief, stating, “Our son was murdered, and we pray that today’s verdict prevents another family from suffering as we have.” The case highlighted significant flaws in how deputies handle mental health crises. Prosecutors argued that Buen escalated the situation unnecessarily.
During the encounter, Glass exhibited signs of a mental health crisis and refused to exit his SUV. Officers attempted to use bean bags and a Taser to get him out. He even threw a knife from the vehicle at one point. In response, Buen fired five shots at Glass, who was reportedly heard saying, “Lord, hear me,” moments before being shot.
Before this trial, Buen was convicted of misdemeanor reckless endangerment in a previous trial for endangering his fellow officers. However, the jury could not reach a decision on the murder charge at that time. With the backing of Glass’s family, prosecutors pursued a second trial for the more serious charge.
In response to this incident, Clear Creek County agreed to set up a crisis response team and enhance training for deputies about mental health interventions. The state is also introducing virtual reality training for officers, focusing on de-escalation techniques during high-stress situations.
Since 2005, there have been over 200 cases in which law enforcement officers faced charges of murder or manslaughter for on-duty shootings. Only a small fraction of these resulted in convictions. Stinson noted that jurors often hesitate to judge the quick decisions officers must make during dangerous situations. Despite increased scrutiny and technology like body cameras, significant change in policing practices is slow to emerge.
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Andrew Buen, Homicide, Colorado, Law enforcement, Crime, Shootings, Indictments, Legal proceedings, Mental health, Juries, General news, CO State Wire, U.S. news, Heidi McCollum, Health, Philip Stinson, Sally Glass, Carrie Slinkard
