Tina Peters, Mesa County Clerk, Could Face New Charges After Arrest On Tuesday
UPDATE: Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters Turns Herself In On Charge Of Obstructing Peace Officer
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4) - Embattled Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters now faces potential new legal trouble after a run-in with police in Grand Junction Tuesday morning. The confrontation came at Main Street Bagels where police along with investigators from the office of the district attorney were armed with a warrant.
They were seeking an iPad that Peters allegedly used to illegally record court proceedings.
Video of the interaction surfaced quickly, with Peters demanding that officers let go of her, saying, "You're hurting me." At one point Peters kicks up her leg toward an officer.
She was arrested, but soon after released, pending charges. It will be up to the office of 21st District Attorney Dan Rubinstein to decide on what if any charges she might face. A silver iPad in a white case found in Peters' purse, was confiscated by law enforcement at the Bagel shop. It will be examined by experts to determine whether Peters was recording.
The device was sought after Peters attended a court hearing for her employee Belinda Knisley. Kinsley is accused of going to secure areas of the clerk's office and using Peters' passwords to print items after she'd been ordered to stay away from the office by county officials investigating complaints about Knisley's workplace behavior.
An affidavit for a search warrant for the iPad indicates Peters was in the courtroom where the prosecution told the judge it appeared Peters was using an iPad to record the proceedings.
"Judge Barrett addressed the audience about recordings being prohibited in court, per the posted sign at the entrance, as well as 'common sense,'" indicated the affidavit. "Clerk Peters represented to the Court that she had not made any such recording."
A paralegal for the district attorney recalled, "she also heard Clerk Peters claim to the Court that she was not recording and those accusing her of recording were not being truthful."
The same paralegal and a deputy district attorney later indicated they saw, including that, "She
could see that the iPad OS 'camera' application was open, distinguishable with the red record button on the application."
Rubinstein's office sought the warrant to look at the iPad to see if the proceedings had been recorded. What would happen if Peters did so, is not out yet.
It is potentially another problem for Peters who faces a lawsuit by Secretary of State Jena Griswold, trying to keep Peters from involvement as an elections official in the 2022 elections and an investigation by DA Rubinstein over Peters' actions following the 2020 election.
A judge formally removed Peters from involvement in the 2021 election. Former Republican secretary of state Wayne Williams and Mesa County treasurer Sheila Reiner, also a Republican, were brought in to supervise the elections and audit.
Peters has been accused of ordering cameras be turned off in an area where voting equipment was stored. She allegedly allowed an unauthorized man to access the area and voting system information later turned up on public websites. Peters acknowledged that she made copies of files on the machines for security before an update of the system, but has claimed she had done nothing wrong.
Peters did not return attempts to reach her for comment Tuesday.
