The charges filed against a registered sex offender accused of trying to kidnap an Aurora elementary school student during recess last year have not been dropped, according to the district attorney.
“We are aware of several inaccuracies made by an Aurora councilwoman regarding the charges that are pending against Solomon Galligan, a defendant who was arrested in 2024 for an incident at Black Forest Hills Elementary School,” 18th Judicial District Attorney Amy Padden said in a statement Wednesday. “In the interest of transparency and public accountability, we feel it is important to set the record straight.”
Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky said in an interview with Fox News that she’s launching an effort to recall Padden, in part over the pending dismissal of Galligan’s charges.
Jurinsky also pointed to another case where a teenager living in Aurora illegally was sentenced to two years of probation in the fatal crash that killed Kaitlyn Weaver.
“She has dismissed cases that absolutely should have been prosecuted, and she has given a lot of probation for … crimes that should have warranted several years in prison,” Jurinsky said in the interview.
Galligan was found incompetent to stand trial last month, Padden said.
Under Colorado law, that means the court is required to dismiss the charges, and the District Attorney’s Office is unable to take the case to trial.
In the interview with Fox, Jurinsky accused Padden of “shrink shopping” to find a psychiatrist who would say Galligan is not fit to stand trial.
But Padden rebutted that in her statement, noting that Galligan underwent two mental competency evaluations — one by the state Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health in 2024 and another by an independent psychiatrist in June.
The second evaluation was requested by Galligan’s attorneys, not the District Attorney’s Office, Padden said.
The psychiatrist’s 63-page report concluded that Galligan suffers from multiple mental health conditions and is not competent to stand trial, Padden said.
The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has not yet dropped the charges pending against Galligan, including felony attempted kidnapping and misdemeanor child abuse, according to court records.
Padden said her office has until July 28 to submit a formal response to the defendant’s attorney’s motion to dismiss the charges.
“As the District Attorney, I have many concerns about this statutory process and its impact on community safety in situations where charges must be dismissed,” Padden stated. “Even before the defense’s motion to dismiss was filed in this case, I was speaking with legislators about proposed reforms to the statute. I will continue those discussions to collaborate about a solution that promotes community safety.”
If the case is dismissed, Galligan will be civilly committed for mental health treatment, not released back into the community.
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