On November 1, three Custer County Law Enforcement Officers entered Clint Seifert’s apartment at Celesta Vista Apartments in Westcliffe without a warrant. The encounter escalated over an eight-minute timeframe and ended with the tackling, beating, and arresting of Seifert.
The Officerâs version of the events was filed with the courts in an Amended Arrest Warrant Affidavit a week later, on November 7. The affidavit states that Deputy Robert Hunter was dispatched to 109 South Adams Blvd., along with Sergeant Steve Konegni (now a school board member) and Deputy Phillip Ditto. The officers claim they were there on a welfare check and heard yelling and possibly walls inside the apartment being knocked down. After Seifert opened the door, they stated he was in an agitated state. The officers claim he ârepeatedly stood up and threatened deputies.â The affidavit continues, âThe last time Seifert stood up, he faced Deputy Hunter with a clenched fist and dropped his leg back, which is a striking stance towards Deputy Hunter. At which point deputies attempted to place handcuffs on him, he pulled away, causing the deputies to have to take him to the ground.â
The affidavit then claims that Seifert actively fought the deputies. âWhile on the ground, Seifert grabbed Deputy Hunterâs arm, trying to get the handcuffs away. Seifert kicked Deputy Ditto in the groin area and the leg, causing pain.â The affidavit concludes that Seifert was taken into custody and transported to Peak View Behavioral Center in Colorado Springs. Seifert was charged with resisting arrest and 2nd degree assault of an Officer.
Video from the scene shows a much different reality than what the officers reported to the courts to justify the takedown and arrest of Seifert.
In the video, Seifert can be heard in his apartment, yelling but not crashing into anything, presumably on the phone. When the knock at the door comes, he yells âwho is knocking?â When he finds out it is the officers, he quickly changes his tone and opens the door. While two deputies are speaking to Seifert, another quickly walks through the small apartment, making sure nobody else is there.
All three officers enter the apartment and begin questioning Seifert about why he was making so much noise. Seifert explains that he had his phone stolen and that he had repeatedly contacted the Sheriffâs Office on a multitude of issues, and they had never helped him. While the topic of the conversation is tense, Seifert is respectful to the officers for about three minutes.
At this point, the officers have positioned Seifert in a corner in front of his sofa, and two of them are very close to him. Seifert becomes frustrated and states that if the cops are not going to help him, they need to leave. The officers do not leave, and they escalate their words and voices to match Seifert. After a few more minutes, one officer begins yelling at Seifert that he will be arrested if he doesnât calm down. This sets Seifert off, and he now yells for the officers to get out using profanity-laced demands.
Matching him, all the officers yell at Seifert to sit down on the sofa, and he complies. He demands that they get out and that they are intimidating him. Yelling back at Seifert, they keep telling him he will be arrested for disorderly conduct if he keeps talking. Seifert stands back up, and one officer shoves him back onto the sofa, yelling, âGet down and stay on that couch!â
As Seifert is still on the sofa, one officer grabs his arm, screaming over the others, he is under arrest. All three officers pull Seifert off the sofa, and one of them trips him as they all land on top of him. One officer mocks the stunned Seifert, âWhatâs it like being taken down by a 70-year-old?â
Seifert panics, yelling for help, âThey are going to kill me!â One officer repositions and starts to draw back with his right arm and repeatedly beats Seifert in the face. At least seven times, Seifert is punched while the other two officers yell conflicting commands to hold still or get on his face. After a minute, the struggle is over, and he is left in the prone position, handcuffed.
The officers call for EMS and eventually help him sit up. Seifert is treated by EMS and taken to Colorado Springs.
What the video shows is a total contradiction of what the officers report in the arrest affidavit. Seifert never threatened the officers, acted as if he was going to attack them, or actively resisted arrest. None of the officers showed any sign that they had been kicked in the groin.
In Colorado, there are several reasons for officers to enter a home without a warrant. When officers first showed up, it was quickly discovered that there was no immediate threat to others in the apartment, and Seifert was not threatening self-harm. At the time, the officers were there only with Seifert’s implied consent. When he demanded that they leave, they were required to exit his apartment because there was no crime or emergency. The threats of arresting Seifert for disorderly conduct only apply to public areas, not in a personâs home when law enforcement is there without cause.
The Custer County Sheriffâs Office has repeatedly boasted that it specializes in de-escalating situations and helping with mental health crises in the community. Yet the video here shows three officers without a warrant escalating a situation with a resident that led to the resident being beaten and arrested.
Further, the affidavit appears to be more of a justification for the arrest than an accurate explanation of what happened. It is likely none of the officers knew they were being recorded by security cameras.
The Tribune reached out to the District Attorneyâs Office and the Custer County Sheriffâs Office to ask why Seifert is being charged despite the video evidence. District Attorney Jeff Lindsey responded, âAs you know, I will not comment on a pending case pursuant to Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct 3.6 and 3.8.â The Sheriffâs Office has not responded.Â
Seifert is set to be arraigned on May 5. He currently has a public defender.
Jordan Hedberg
