Stephan Long, who had been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of two brothers, Damon and Blake Lucas, has had the remaining murder charge dropped by Denver District Attorney Beth McCann. Long claimed self-defense in the shooting, which occurred on Interstate 25 in June 2023. The decision to drop the charges was based on evidence that supported Long’s self-defense claim. Alex Landau of the Denver Justice Project, who advocated for Long’s case, criticized McCann for calling the decision “heart-wrenching.” Long’s family expressed relief at the dropped charges, while the Lucas brothers’ mother, Amber Tripp, is considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
After Long walked out of the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center, McCann announced that the evidence did not support proving Long’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury. The decision to drop the charges was met with shock from the Lucas family, who are now raising money to help Tripp leave the state to avoid daily reminders of her sons’ deaths. The case was brought to the attention of Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Governor Jared Polis by the Denver Justice Project, who see the decision as a win for the community. Long, who had been on house arrest before the charges were dropped, is grateful to have his family around him.
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