Barry Morphew Case Updates

Hearing Overview:

• A status conference was held before Judge Amanda Hopkins.
• Defense requested more time to review the large volume of discovery; the court granted a continuance.
• The next hearing (status/plea) is set for January 12, 2026, at 1:30 PM.
• Judge reaffirmed prior limits on public and media access, restricting livestreaming to credentialed media outlets only.

Judge Hopkins emphasized that the defense has had sufficient time for discovery and stated the January 12 hearing will be the final continuance she will grant.

Recent Filings & Court Orders:

🟪 Motion to Cease Unmonitored Livestream (Sept 19 2025): Defense requested livestreaming be limited to approved media to protect fair-trial rights and prevent social-media misuse. The court granted the restriction.

• Filed by the defense to end public livestreaming of hearings unless managed by credentialed media.
• Argued that unmonitored streams could jeopardize Barry Morphew’s right to a fair trial, risk witness intimidation, and fuel misinformation on social media.
• Requested that all future streams be handled under the Expanded Media Coverage (EMC) policy—meaning only approved media outlets, not public YouTube feeds.
• The court agreed, and livestreams are now restricted to media-only access via approved applications.

🟩 Motion to Require Notice & Consent for Contact with Defendant (D-004): Prevents direct outreach to Morphew outside counsel channels; approved to safeguard due process.

• Filed by defense to protect Morphew from unsolicited or unauthorized contact (including media or investigators) while out on bond.
• Seeks assurance that any interviews, communications, or evidence requests go through counsel, not directly to the defendant.
• Granted to maintain procedural control and avoid potential rights violations.

🟨 Motion for Preservation & Production of Materials (D-005): Defense sought full retention of digital and physical evidence from all agencies; granted in part.

• Defense demanded full preservation of investigative records, evidence logs, bodycam footage, and communications between agencies.
• Cites prior discovery disputes and missing data in the 2021 proceedings.
• The judge granted it in part, compelling both sides to maintain all digital and physical evidence.

🟦 Order Limiting Pre-Trial Publicity (June 25 2025): Bars attorneys, law enforcement, or investigators from public commentary on the case or evidence.

• Bars attorneys, investigators, and law enforcement from making public statements that could influence jury selection.
• Applies to both prosecution and defense.
• Specifically prohibits dissemination of discovery materials to the public or social media.

🟧 Amended Order on Expanded Media Coverage (Oct 28 2025): Allows only credentialed media to record or stream proceedings under judicial oversight.

• Allows approved media organizations to request filming or streaming under court supervision.
• Ensures balance between public transparency and fair-trial protection.
• This replaces the broader livestream rule that previously allowed public access to all hearings.

What’s Next:

• Both sides continue reviewing discovery and filing procedural motions.
• The January 12 hearing is expected to include a plea entry and next-phase scheduling.
• Trial date not yet set but expected sometime in mid- to late-2026.

Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch filings; Denver Gazette; KOAA News 5; AP News.

The court in the Barry Morphew case has tightened access after multiple YouTube streamers — including JLR Investigates — repeatedly ignored judicial rules by recording and rebroadcasting trial video, forcing a full shutdown of public virtual access. The judge cited ‘an unbelievable amount’ of unauthorized national and international streaming that compromised the proceedings.

Judge left it open for public live-streaming in the future. 

Barry Morphew – Appearance Bond (filed 9/19/2025)

On September 19, 2025, Barry Morphew was released from Alamosa County Jail after supporters helped post his $3 million bond.

Signed/executed: Sept. 19, 2025 at the Alamosa County Detention Center (time stamp ~11:35).
Colorado Judicial Branch
Bond type/amount: Surety bond posted via a bail bonding agent on a $3,000,000 appearance bond. This means $300,000 had to be paid to the bondsman which is non-refundable.

Conditions of release (from the court form)

Do not leave Colorado.
No weapons.
No alcohol and no illegal drugs (medical-marijuana exception noted by statute).
GPS monitoring required.
Pre-trial supervision (contact listed on the form).
House-arrest style restriction handwritten: “not to leave home except [for] medical emergency, Dr. appt, legal [matters], or work.”
Surrender passport.
Use only the name “Barry Morphew.”
Only drive vehicles registered to him.
Standard advisories: appear for all court dates; notify court of address changes; acknowledge mandatory protection-order/firearm relinquishment provisions under C.R.S. §18-1-1001.

⚫ Judge Amanda Hopkins declined the defense’s request to reduce the $3 million cash-only bond to $500,000. However, the court modified the bond conditions: it’s no longer cash-only but now allows for payment via cash surety or property bond. This opens the door for Morphew’s release—if a bondsman is willing to underwrite it or if he can use equity in property as collateral. With a typical bondsman fee of 10%, Morphew would need to come up with about $300,000 to post bail and secure his release while awaiting trial. As of now, he remains in custody since he has not posted bond. 

⚫Daughters’ Support Mattered
Judge Amanda Hopkins pointed out that Morphew’s daughters were present in court and strongly supportive of his release, calling their opinion “very significant” and noting it weighed in his favor—even amid concerns about his ties to the community.

⚫Courtroom Appearance Conditions
Good news for gravity and optics: Morphew was allowed to wear civilian clothes (jeans and a flannel shirt), not jail attire, and wasn’t visibly restrained—an important move to preserve the presumption of innocence and avoid unfair visual bias.

⚫Alias & Security Restrictions
New bond conditions included prohibiting any use of aliases (no more “Lee Moore”), mandating GPS monitoring, surrendering his passport, restricting travel outside Colorado (except for medical needs, court, or attorney meetings), and banning firearms.

⚫Prosecution vs. Defense Arguments
The defense argued Morphew had a clean history—previously held a $500,000 bond, complied with court obligations, and had family support. The prosecution painted a different picture: he had used aliases, traveled frequently, had no local ties, and thus was a flight risk.

⚫Next Status Conference
Morphew’s next status conference is set for November 3, 2025, at 1:30 PM, in Alamosa Courtroom C. The hearing will be available via livestream.