A Colorado district attorney is facing backlash and an active recall effort after announcing plans to drop attempted kidnapping charges against a convicted sex offender deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial. The case centers on Solomon Galligan, 33, who was arrested in April for allegedly trying to abduct an 11-year-old boy from Black Forest Hills Elementary School in Aurora.
Galligan, diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, was evaluated and found mentally unfit for trial, prompting the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to move toward dismissal as required by Colorado law. The office stated Galligan will be civilly committed to a mental health facility and will not be released to the public.
However, the decision has sparked outrage among Aurora residents and elected officials. City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky told the New York Post that a recall campaign targeting Democrat District Attorney Amy Padden is “well under way.” Jurinsky criticized what she called a “progressive attitude” in the DA’s office, saying, “The conduct of the 18th DA over the past six months is beyond deplorable… Amy Padden will be recalled for her part in not upholding the laws and punishing criminals.”
Galligan has a long history of criminal behavior and mental illness, including a 2011 conviction that placed him on the sex offender registry. That same year, he publicly identified as transgender and began hormone therapy, though recent reports refer to him using male pronouns and his social media has been inactive since 2018.
Galligan’s family has confirmed his long-standing mental health issues, with relatives stating he has repeatedly been in and out of jail and cannot function independently. Still, the public’s focus remains on the safety of children and whether justice is being served in such cases.
The DA’s office maintains that legal standards require dismissal in cases of mental incompetency, emphasizing that Galligan is being committed, not released.
