Former Colorado deputy sentenced to 3 years in prison for shooting death of Christian Glass

A judge in Colorado sentenced Andrew Buen, the former Clear Creek County deputy found guilty in the shooting death of 22-year-old Christian Glass. On Monday, the judge sentenced Buen to three years in the Colorado Department of Corrections with a mandatory parole of two years after the sentence has been served. 

In addition to the three years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for the criminally negligent homicide conviction, the judge sentenced him to 120 days in jail for reckless endangerment to be served concurrently with the DOC sentence. Buen has credit for 54 days served.

While Buen spoke for the first time in court addressing the Glass family, saying he wishes he could take everything back and that he got into law enforcement, in part, to help correct the negative view of the profession. He said he let many people down by killing Glass. People in court also heard from the Buen family about the former deputy's character, which they say does not match the man in the body camera video shouting at the terrified 22-year-old.

The judge in this case, Catherine Cheroutes, said both things might be true; Buen might be a loyal, kind man to his friends and family, but the second he is put in uniform and is given a gun, "it changes everything."

"This was all about power," Cheroutes said. "It was not a mistake, it was about 'you need to listen to me because I am in charge,' and that is what police need to learn." 

Glass' father Simon spoke in court during the sentencing hearing. 

"Talking about Christian in the past tense still seems completely alien to me, like someone else is speaking," he said. 

Simon Glass went on to describe his son as "a gentle, kind and polite boy who never hurt anyone in his life."

He went on to accuse the sheriff's office of trying to cover up what happened the night his son was killed and that "Christian had committed 'suicide by cop' and attacked officers with knives," which he described as "a cruel lie."

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's office has since acknowledged that the first press release it issued was not an accurate representation of what happened that night. 

"Without the body cam, I believe the truth would have remained hidden," Simon Glass said. "We would have gone to our graves believing that Christian had inexplicably attacked the police."

Buen was facing a second-degree murder charge for his involvement in Christian Glass' 2022 death, but the jury convicted him on a lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide in February.

Buen's first trial ended in a partially hung jury, after a lone juror was reported to have been "biased." 

Glass was in Clear Creek County in his car when he called 911 for help when his vehicle got stuck on the side of a dirt road. His family said he was having a mental health crisis when law enforcement officers from several different departments responded after the 22-year-old refused to leave his vehicle.

In the early morning hours of June 11, 2022, after several hours with Glass not cooperating with commands, Buen was the one who ended up firing the shots that killed Glass. Officers had broken a window in an attempt to get him out of his vehicle and Glass grabbed a knife he had inside. Deputies then tased him and he started swinging the knife before he was shot and killed.

Buen was fired from the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office. 

Buen was emotional in court on Monday and wiped away tears several times as he read a statement, "Christian deserved better."

"I wish I could take it all back," said Buen in court before he was sentenced. 

Prior to the hearing, Buen told CBS News Colorado, "My actions resulted in the outcome of someone losing their life and that's something I live with every day."  

"One thing I do take comfort in, is that Christian's name has now finally been cleared," Simon Glass said. 

"Christian was our first and only son, the only grandson in our family," he continued. "I have so many memories now infused with pain. It's only recently that I can even look at a photo of him... I miss him." 

A civil case filed by Glass' family resulted in a $19 million settlement. 

The family has said they feel they can't use that money as it's tied to the killing of their son and plan to donate a large portion of it to help hold law enforcement officers accountable for their actions.