Boulder law firm Hutchinson Black & Cook on Jan. 9 announced it filed a 1st Amendment lawsuit concerning the May 2023 removal of Lisa Sweeney-Miran from Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel.
The lawsuit alleges the city made three constitutional violations, the press release noted. The complaint alleges Sweeney-Miran was removed from the panel based on her criticisms of police violence and police overreach in alleged violation of Sweeney-Miran’s 1st Amendment right to free speech.
The complaint also alleged Boulder City Council violated Sweeney-Miran’s 14th Amendment right to due process by removing her from the panel without allowing her an opportunity to be heard.
According to the complaint, members of the city council also allegedly pressured Sweeney-Miran to withdraw from a pending lawsuit challenging the city’s actions against homeless community members, in alleged violation of Sweeney-Miran’s 1st Amendment right to petition the government.
“When the rubber hit the road, Boulder’s City Council caved to the status quo by removing Ms. Sweeney-Miran from the oversight panel rather than demand a new chapter of accountability for the Boulder Police Department, at the expense of one of its community member’s foundational constitutional rights,” said Sweeney-Miran’s attorney Dan Williams in a press release.