The defense attorney for the Westcliffe man accused of murdering three of his neighbors and injuring another in November says her client is innocent and that he was subjected to harassment, intimidation and violence during a matter of years at the hands of his neighbors.
45-year-old Hanme Clark if facing three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
Clark was arrested November 21st, the day after he allegedly murdered Rob Geers, his wife Beth Geers, and James Daulton, who all died at the scene of the shooting. The fourth victim, Patty Daulton, was treated for serious injuries. The shootings was a result of a long property dispute.
During a motions hearing this week, Clark’s defense attorney said, “I want to start by strongly and unequivocally asserting that Mr. Clark is innocent. I want to emphasize the backdrop under which these circumstances arose.”
11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley argued that when Clark felt he had been harassed and intimidated by his neighbors and did not receive the relief that he felt he should have gotten from law enforcement, he took the law into his own hands.
Clark’s attorney also asked that Clark be moved from the Pueblo County Jail to the Chaffee County Detention Center. She said that Clark has been seriously assaulted in the Pueblo County Jail.
The judge said that that is up to law enforcement to find appropriate housing for inmates, not the court, and she kept Clark’s bond at $2 million cash only.
The judge also granted the defense motion and issued a media gag order to prevent the DA’s office and others from making “unethical, unconstitutional prejudicial statements” regarding the case.
Clark is set for a preliminary hearing on February 28th.
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