Publish Date: 5/1/2007
Hinton OK’d to leave state
Vic Vela
The Daily Record
The Royal Gorge Academy co-director accused of assault and false imprisonment of several students can move out of state if he wishes to, while returning for court proceedings, a judge ruled Monday.
In addition, Randall Hinton, 32, pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces in Norman Cooling’s Fremont County courtroom as a trial date also was set.
The defense motion to relocate out of state was not met with objection by the prosecution nor the alleged victims in the case, who were not present for Monday’s hearing.
Meanwhile, several Academy administrators appeared in the courtroom to support Hinton, including school co-director Brian Lemons.
When asked by Cooling if it was the defendant’s desire to move to Utah, where he had lived prior to opening the school, Hinton responded, “Yes, I’d just like to have that option.”
The defendant faces seven counts of third-degree assault and two false imprisonment charges, all misdemeanors. Hinton was arrested in January following a Canon City Police Department investigation into charges that he was abusive toward students at the private boarding school.
A trial date was set for Aug. 27-31. His next court appearance, a motions hearing, is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 28.
Hinton was represented by his attorney, Michael Gillick; the prosecution by Deputy District Attorney Thom LeDoux.
Vic Vela can be reached at
http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/reg ... sp?ID=6843
