Police Reopen Probe of Indicted Colo. Officer

(AP)  Fort Collins police have reopened an internal investigation into a police officer accused of lying in the investigation and trial of Timothy Masters, whose 1999 murder conviction was later overturned by DNA evidence.

A Larimer County grand jury indicted Lt. James Broderick on eight counts of first-degree perjury in June. Broderick, who has denied wrongdoing, was due in court Friday for an arraignment.

Fort Collins Police Chief Dennis Harrison said Thursday that he has met with Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, who has been appointed as special prosecutor in the internal investigation. Harrison said they determined there was enough new evidence to reopen the investigation.

A previous internal police investigation cleared Broderick of violating department policies. Buck, from neighboring Weld County, declined to file charges against Broderick and prosecutors, despite finding flaws in how the case was handled.

Broderick was a detective who investigated the 1987 stabbing death of 37-year-old Peggy Hettrick, whose body was found not far from Masters' home.

Masters, who was 15 when Hettrick died, had walked by her body but didn't immediately tell police. He was convicted in 1999 of killing her despite a lack of physical evidence, with prosecutors presenting testimony from a forensic psychologist Broderick had consulted.

Masters' conviction was overturned and he was released from prison in 2008 after tests using advanced technology showed that DNA collected at the scene didn't belong to him.

City and county officials have settled lawsuits by Masters for a total of $10 million. City officials have said they believe investigators acted in good faith.

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