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Opening statements expected in ICE agent trial

Man charged with illegally accessing crime database

By Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 31, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.
Updated March 31, 2008 at 1:43 p.m.

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Voorhis has seen backers raise $30,000 for his defense.

Voorhis has seen backers raise $30,000 for his defense.

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Opening statements are expected this afternoon in the trial of Cory Voorhis, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with improperly accessing a confidential crime database to help Bob Beauprez's 2006 campaign for governor.

Jury selection began this morning, with U.S. District Judge John Kane and attorneys questioning potential jurors on their feelings about immigration enforcement and the outcome of the gubernatorial race.

A few people were excused because they felt they couldn't be impartial. They included a 28-year-old man who said all illegal immigrants should be deported, and that he may have trouble convicting Voorhis if he believes the agent's actions were illegal yet justifiable.

Another man called the outcome of the 2006 race, in which Democrat Bill Ritter defeated the Republican Beauprez "a mess." But he said he could remain impartial and was not excused.

Voorhis is charged with three counts of exceeding authorized access to a government computer, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum punishment of three years in prison and a $300,000 fine.

Prosecutors say Voorhis used the database — which may be used only for law enforcement purposes — to look up information on illegal immigrants who received plea deals from Ritter when he was Denver district attorney.

The deals, in which defendants pleaded guilty to trespassing on agricultural land, allowed illegal immigrants to remain in the country.

Voorhis gave the information to the Beauprez campaign, which used it in an attack ad that said at least one of the suspects had gone on to commit other crimes.

The Ritter campaign cried foul, saying the only way Beauprez's campaign could have gotten the information was if someone with access to the database looked it up for them.

Voorhis was indicted about one year later.

The case has become a cause celebre for people concerned about illegal immigration, and those who believe Voorhis is being unfairly targeted by the government.

Supporters have launched a web site, collected money for a legal fund and taken to the airwaves to criticize the prosecution and Ritter.

It is unusual for federal law enforcement agents to be prosecuted criminally, and even more so for the case to get to trial, particularly on misdemeanor charges.

Voorhis' attorneys maintain Voorhis did nothing wrong.

They may call Voorhis to the stand during the trial, which is expected to last into the middle of next week.

During a pretrial hearing earlier this year, Voorhis said he was shocked when the uproar over his actions began because he believed he was looking up information as part of his job.

Among the other witnesses who will likely testify are John Marshall, Beauprez's campaign manager, and his assistant campaign manager, Catherine Holtgrewe.

burnetts@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5343

Comments

  • March 31, 2008

    5:18 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ColetteDD2 writes:

    It's quite simple, because your work gives you access to certain information, doesn't mean you can go nosing around whenever you feel like it. If you're discovered doing so, whether or not the information is used for anything, termination is not an unusual result. There's usually a boiler plate default message advising users of the policy either when they sign in or immediately after accessing the database. The fact that Mr. Voorhis's is un-paid administrative leave tells you his employers believe he did that.

    All citizens have the right to participate in the political process by voting, volunteering, donating, joining professional organizations that express thier support, or lack thereof, of a candidate. That participation does not include accessing or providing restricted, confidential work-related information to candidates for any reason

    It's ironic that Voorhis's job revolved around following the rules.

    Colette, Denver, CO

  • March 31, 2008

    6:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rickg19611 writes:

    U.S. District Judge John Kane's comments sound like those of a banana republic show trial judge: We will only allow evidence that supports our predetermined verdict.

  • March 31, 2008

    6:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rickg19611 writes:

    It would be nice if ColetteDD2 and others would not be hypocrites in the case. They want Voorhis prosecuted, but remain silent when confronted with evidence of Ritter and his Democrat cronies admitting in court under sworn testimony that they committed the same acts as Voorhis.

    Hypocritical prosecution of Voorhis, and hyporictial comments by ColetteDD2 and others that refuse to hold Democrats to the same laws they demand of others.

    This case sounds like a sham prosecution by a dictatorship in power in a 3rd world county. Sham prosecution of political opponents, while the dictator and his henchmen are allowed to commit any crimes they want wiothout fear of their crony courts doing anything about it.

  • March 31, 2008

    6:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    HumanBeans writes:

    The deals allowed the men to remain in the country. Ritter is a racist and a total disgrace! Only hispanics were offered the Ag trespass, No blacks, No Whites, No Asians. Ritter you SUCK!!!!!!!! Deport, Deport, Deport!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • March 31, 2008

    7:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Mtnsjohn writes:

    It boils down to a choice of evils. The kind of plea bargaining Ritter was doing or sanctioning may have been legal, but it was certainly unethical.
    What has done greater harm to society...Voorhis' actions or Ritter's?
    What left more victims in its wake, Voorhis actions or Ritter's liberal handling of how many cases?

    The plea agreement "Trespassing on Agricultural Land" had absolutely no basis in fact and should have never been allowed by trial judges dealing with illegal alien cases. Just another sign of a screwed up Criminal Justice system.

    The public deserved to know about Ritter and his decision making ability. They needed a hint of what might be Ritter's administration's policy dealing with illegal, undocumented, identity stealing, border jumping felons.

    Several bipartison laws were passed in special session in 2006, prior to Ritter taking office. Have there been any employers held responsible for hiring illegals under these laws on Governor Ritter's watch?

  • March 31, 2008

    8:05 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    nativegirl writes:

    Good luck to you, Cory. I hope you beat this.

  • March 31, 2008

    8:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ONEman writes:

    It boils down to the fact that he let his thinking cloud his integrity and risked his job for a personal agenda. So let him have his day in court. Hope it was worth it buddy.

    This is the speech I give youth who are trying to join gangs:

    "See if your friends(Tancredo) will visit you in jail. Think before you do something stupid, you may beat the wrap, but theres all kinds of justices."

  • March 31, 2008

    9:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    HumanBeans writes:

    Cory is a true American hero!!!!!!

  • March 31, 2008

    10:50 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Mtnsjohn writes:

    Human.....I agree, but this a case to make an example of one not following the letter of the law. Cory stepped outside that, and although you hear that others (on Ritter's campaign)did, or directed others, to use NCIC the same way, it is not a valid defense.

    Ritter's record as a prosecutor was called into question along with his ability to govern. Ritter's well-coached but only defense was to transform himself into a victim, and Voorhis into a criminal.

  • March 31, 2008

    12:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mtnsrfer writes:

    I wish we heard more stories about illegals being allowed to walk free. He shouldn't have done this for political gain, he should have done this to show how corrupt the immigaton system is.

  • March 31, 2008

    12:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HumanBeans writes:

    he should have done this to show how corrupt the immigaton system is.

    Bill Ritter is the corrupt one, Ag tresspass plea deal for a scumbag illegal heroin dealer. WTF? This guy should be tossed over the river and back to his beautiful country MESSECO.

  • March 31, 2008

    12:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AWM writes:

    everything about this case stinks.. a man blows the whistle on a corrupt DA's pratices as he looks to further his political career and the whistle blower ends up being prosecuted! Cases like this are the problem with America and will lead to ou demise!

  • March 31, 2008

    1:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Golden writes:

    ColetteDD2 and you other liberal democrats who see nothing wrong with this. Ritter breaks the law, he is not proecuted. Mitch Morissey breaks the law. Where is the prosecution? Federal law enforcement is more interested in prosecuting people.

    Has anyone heard of whistleblower legislation. If ever their was a need for extending that legislation it would be this one.

    I hope at the end of the day, all you liberals suggsting it is balck and white case, break the law go to jail, feel the same way when this thing ends with that fhole Ritter in jail for conspiring with Morriesy to have this guy thrown in jail in the first place...Hopefully he will be in the cell next to Beauprez.

    If Ritter is such a standup, law and order guy, how come he and Morresy filed motion to surrpress evidenace. Why would prosecutors try and suppress evidence?

    He is on adminstrative leave for the same reason two agents are in prison in Texas... Bush won't tolerate anything that keeps Mexicans out of our country. Haliburton is paying him $100 for each illegal that enters the country. (Jsut a little something for your Liberals).

  • March 31, 2008

    1:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JSeifert writes:

    So our wonderful Democrate Criminal let Illegals get away with braking our laws and its the guy from ICE thats going to jail. Seems to me thats how it works when Democrats are in office and its only going to get worse with them in the white house soon to been Northern Mexico summer palace. I say free the guy from ICE and put Ritter, DA and Judge on trial for treason against this country. And no they are not just enforcing the law they are protecting their collective A^&%$ is what they are doing not enforcing the law if that was true there would be no story and the illegals would be in Mexico not DENVER!

  • March 31, 2008

    2:52 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Spencer writes:

    So Golden, you think liberals are siding with Bush and Halliburton? YOu should change your handle to clueless

  • March 31, 2008

    3:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    db writes:

    Good luck, Cory ... why won't the judge
    simply grant YOU Ag. trespass ?

  • March 31, 2008

    4:12 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JustSayin writes:

    Okay, I think I'm getting where the Cory defenders are coming from - if you don't arrest everyone who's done the same thing, then your man should walk.........

    So, unless the cops catch everyone who committed murder this week, the ones who did get caught should walk? Unless they catch every thief, the ones they did catch should walk? Is that how you want it to work?

    This is more than a partisan issue, this is about the rights to privacy that we all should expect and the responsibilities that our public servants have to the rest of us when they have access to such information. If it's found that he did look into the database, this guy deserves to be fired just as the people looking into passport records got fired. And yes, I agree, where are the charges for Ritter's cronies?

  • March 31, 2008

    6:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ONEman writes:

    If he can't obey the law what business does he have enforcing it? That goes for anybody. Which is why he will pay the price for jeopardizing the integrity of his position.m Plain and simple when your wrong your wrong.

  • March 31, 2008

    8:53 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    peachy0301 writes:

    "It is unusual for federal law enforcement agents to be prosecuted criminally, and even more so for the case to get to trial, particularly on misdemeanor charges."

    This story neglects to mention that Voorhis is also the lead agent on the investigation that busted the Castorena crime family - one of the leading suppliers of forged documents to illegal immigrants that allow them to appear legal. By proceeding with these charges that never should have been filed the entire case against the crime family would be in jeopardy and they will probably go back to providing documents.

    By prosecuting Cory Voorhis this administration in the State of Colorado is again allowing illegal immigrants to have their way.

  • March 31, 2008

    9:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Leonardo writes:

    Break the law and go to jail. Unless of course you're a dope dealing child molester and happen to be an illegal immigrant as well.