Boulder County DA's Office staff honored by state organization

NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
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The staff of the District Attorney’s Office is the proud recipient of two awards from the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, or CDAC. Every September, at its annual conference, CDAC announces awards to prosecutors and staff around the state for distinguished work during the previous year.

The district attorney’s office is pleased and honored that two deserving members of this office received awards from CDAC.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Laura Kinde has been awarded the Prosecutor of the Year Award. Kinde is in the Sex Crimes & Special Victims Unit. She handles felony-level sexual assault cases, sexual assaults on children, child exploitation crimes and child abuse cases.

Over the past year, Kinde successfully prosecuted six sexual assault trials. The total number of victims in those trials is particularly noteworthy. From those six trials, Kinde worked with 16 victims — both adult and child. Because of Kinde, the perpetrators of those horrible crimes were all found guilty at trial and held accountable.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, “Laura Kinde is a champion for justice and for victims. Sexual assault cases, particularly those involving kids, are extremely difficult. As she has done throughout her career, Laura has demonstrated exceptional courage, dedication, and skill over the past year on behalf of sex assault victims. I am thrilled that she has been recognized by prosecutors from across Colorado with this wonderful and well-deserved honor.”

“Laura’s dedication to justice for survivors is exemplary. Her perseverance, creative problem-solving, and compassion make her an outstanding district attorney and advocate for survivors of sexual violence,” stated Janine D’Anniballe, director of trauma services and Moving to End Sexual Assault with Mental Health Partners.

Blue Sky Bridge’s Robin Friesen-Holwell stated, "Laura Kinde is a true advocate for all survivors. She understands that it takes a team working together to bring about healing and justice for the children and families we serve. Blue Sky Bridge is grateful for her dedication and we congratulate her on this well-deserved award."

Chief Deputy DA Catrina Weigel stated, “Cases involving sexual violence are some of the most difficult that prosecutors handle. They are emotional. The subject matter is nothing that anyone wants to talk about or even believe happens in our community. The survivors are horribly traumatized. Difficult family dynamics can make a tough situation even tougher. Senior Deputy District Attorney Laura Kinde is skilled at prosecuting these challenging cases. She is dedicated, compassionate, smart, and a strong advocate in the courtroom. She won this award as recognition of her many talents, especially given the large number of survivors that she served this last year. Laura exemplifies what it means to be a prosecutor. I am proud to work alongside her every day.”

Assistant District Attorney Ken Kupfner has been awarded the CDAC Outstanding Faculty Award. Kupfner is highly regarded for his exemplary work and accomplishments. This award recognizes the contributions that Kupfner has made in teaching prosecutors and law enforcement officers around the state over the last year.

He has provided many trainings on some of the most important topics. For example, in July, Kupfner helped design and teach a major case course for Colorado’s prosecutors. The major case course is a three-day advanced prosecution course.

Additionally,Kupfner has been helping to train law enforcement officers in Boulder County on the recently enacted Senate Bill 217 to Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity. This award recognizes that he is an outstanding teacher who has gone above and beyond over the past year.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, “Ken is a terrific prosecutor and works hard to present outstanding trainings on legal and ethical issues for attorneys and law enforcement officers. I am grateful that CDAC has chosen to recognize his tireless efforts with this distinguished award. It is very important to have an intelligent, engaging instructor when it comes to topics such as prosecutorial ethics, the prosecution of homicide cases, DNA evidence, and so forth. Ken takes on these trainings on top of all his other work. He is a great leader, mentor, and teacher for the prosecutors of this state.”

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