They will seek a reduced sentence against the truck driver involved in a fatal accident

(CNN) – A Colorado district judge has scheduled a hearing for January 13 to reconsider the 110-year prison sentence for Rogel Aguilera Medeiros, the Cuban truck driver who was convicted of an accident that killed four people.

The first prosecutor, Alexis King, said her office would likely recommend a sentence of 20 to 30 years.

At Monday’s preliminary hearing, Judge A. Bruce Jones decided to resolve the procedural issues due to the unprecedented nature of the case, as the prosecution began to seek a lower sentence, rather than a defense.

The case attracted the attention of the homeland due to the length of the sentence. Jones said he was forced to pass a 110-year prison sentence due to state sentencing guidelines.

At Monday’s hearing, both the prosecution and the defense said they wanted to ensure that any decision to appeal did not conflict with the defendant’s right to appeal. The judge gives the attorneys time to investigate the procedural issues and ensure that the appropriate steps are taken in the correct order.

The January 13 hearing is scheduled in person, and Jones said he would prefer Aguilera-Mederos to appear, but not want her to testify.

However, Jones will allow family members of victims to testify or give written testimony. It would also allow anyone who wanted to write something on behalf of the defendant to do so.

“I’m worried this is going to become a circus and it won’t be a circus as far as I am,” Jones said on Monday.

King had asked the court to consider a sentence of 20 to 30 years “based on the facts of this case and the contributions of the victims and their families,” King said in an earlier statement.

“This is an exceptional case and requires an exceptional process,” he told reporters after Monday’s session.

“The accused caused four deaths, seriously injured several others, and the impact of his truck caused damage to many members of our community,” King continued. “Knowing all of this, my office commenced the re-sentencing process the same week that the accused was sentenced, so that the court could consider an alternative judgment unrelated to mandatory sentencing structures.”

Accident and judgment

He told investigators at the time that Aguilera Medeiros was driving at 137 km/h in a semi-trailer in April 2019 when the brakes failed. He said the plane crashed, causing a massive 28-car crash of the I-70 that killed four people and injured several others. Lakewood Police Department at that moment.

Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 24, has died; William Bailey, 67; Doyle Harrison, 61; and Stanley Politano, 69.

in October, Aguilera-Mederos was found guilty, 26, of four counts of motor vehicle manslaughter and 23 other counts, including six counts of first-degree assault due to extreme indifference; 10 counts for first-degree battery attempt due to extreme indifference; two counts of reckless assault on vehicles; One count of reckless driving and four counts of negligent driving resulting in death.

He was sentenced on December 13.

In his sentencing earlier this month, Colorado District Court Judge A. Bruce Jones said it was tied to the state’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws, KMGH, a CNN affiliate, reported.

in a a movement King demanded the hearing: “Since Colorado law requires a judgment in this case, the law also allows the court to reconsider its judgment in an exceptional case involving unusual and extenuating circumstances.”

A commutation of the sentence will not overturn Aguilera Medeiros’ conviction. Colgan said the state’s sentencing laws need to change.

“The law doesn’t really distinguish between people like Mr Medeiros, who are not a danger to society, and other people who are given life sentences who are a danger to society,” Colgan said. “The law should provide for such exceptions and understand that there is a difference between Mr Medeiros and those other types of people.”

Criticism of the referee

The ruling sparked immediate criticism, and an online petition urged Governor Jared Polis to commute Aguilera Medeiros’ sentence or grant a pardon. It has more than 4.7 million signatures.

Kim Kardashian West, Who has been active in criminal justice cases, posted Tweet thread about the case on Tuesday and concluded by saying that Polis “He is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.“.

Polis’ office told CNN it was reviewing Aguilera-Medros’ clemency request.

“We just received the order from Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, and our legal team is currently reviewing it,” press secretary Conor Cahill told CNN in an email. “Once we come to a decision, we’ll make an announcement.”

Duane Bailey, brother of William Bailey, recently told CNN that he and others have met Polis.

“We told him we thought he should stay out of the case until the court proceedings were over,” Duane Bailey said. “It would be inappropriate for the ruler to intervene before that process,” he added.

In her statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken with surviving victims of the crash and with families of the deceased about the possibility of Aguilera Medros being re-sentenced.

CNN’s Raja Razek, Jennifer Feldman, Melissa Alonso, Amir Vera and Michelle Watson contributed to this article.