New DA George Brauchler

When newly-elected 18th Judicial District District Attorney, George Brauchler, submitted his paperwork to run long, long ago, he could never have anticipated that his office would be trying one of the most-watched trials of (possibly) the decade – the trial of human bile and Aurora Massacre shooter James Holmes.  To help him with his efforts, Brauchler has brought on two new staff members experienced in high-profile trials – Mark Hurlbert as assistant district attorney and Lisa Pinto as communications director.

Hurlbert is the outgoing DA for the fifth judicial district in Colorado, which encompasses Summit, Eagle, Lake and Clear Creek counties.  He was term-limited, according to the Denver Post.  While Hurlbert will likely not take a courtroom role in the Holmes trial, he’s been at the center of several high-profile cases in Colorado’s history, according to the Denver Post:

“Hurlbert, though, is no stranger to high-profile cases. He prosecuted one of the biggest in state history when he charged basketball superstar Kobe Bryant with sexual assault — a case that was dismissed after Bryant’s accuser refused to testify. Hurlbert found himself in controversy again when he plea-bargained a hit-and-run case involving a star money manager two years ago.”