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DENVER (KDVR) — In a 4-3 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court has reinstated the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s office to conduct a criminal investigation into Lake County Coroner Shannon Kent.

The move reverses a state district judge who had granted a motion by Kent’s defense attorney to remove District Attorney Bruce Brown from the case. The lower court judge had appointed prosecutors from the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s office in Glenwood Springs to pursue possible criminal charges.

The decision from the state’s high court to reinstate DA Bruce Brown means his office will now investigate and possibly prosecute Kent for any crimes uncovered during an October search warrant executed by Lake County Sheriff’s Office into conditions at Kent’s funeral home in Leadville.

Two months ago, deputies found unrefrigerated and unidentified bodies, piles of used body bags and mounds of paperwork scattered around Kent’s funeral home in Leadville. According to a stipulation reached last with Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Kent has agreed to shut down all six of his funeral home locations across the central mountain region.

A lower court judge had approved a defense motion to remove Brown from the case because of personal animus. Court filings suggest Brown told Kent to plead guilty to a petty offense related to a grand jury indictment in 2019 and resign his office or Brown would pursue felony charges.

Kent’s defense argued the case should be prosecuted by the 9th Judicial District out of Glenwood Springs to avoid a conflict of interest.

Brown released the following statement to the problem solvers:

“We are gratified that the Court upheld the important principle that the elected prosecutor should represent their District whenever justice can be served by maintaining their responsibility in local hands.  Local prosecutors know the community, understand the local crime enforcement needs, and their familiarity with witnesses and parties to cases allows Coloradans the best opportunity to keep engaged in court cases.”