The Denver District Attorney’s Office announced last week it would be dropping all criminal charges against Matthew Dolloff, an unlicensed security guard accused of shooting and killing a man named Lee Keltner in downtown Denver on Oct. 10, 2020 following a “Patriot Muster” event, a pro-America rally organized by John “Tig” Tiegen.
The “Patriot Muster” event took place just months after a Back the Blue rally was sabotaged and violently attacked by antifa and BLM supporters in July 2020 in downtown Denver. As was common throughout the summer of 2020 and after, Denver police retreated, failing to protect the constitutional rights of free speech and peaceful assembly for rally goers.
Following the “Patriot Muster” event, Keltner and other attendees got into an altercation with a radical BLM supporter named Jeremiah Elliott. Dolloff, who was contracted to provide security for 9News, a local Denver NBC affiliate, and Keltner soon made contact resulting in a brief altercation. Dolloff opened fire on Keltner, killing the man in cold blood, as Keltner attempted to deploy pepper spray while backing away from the confrontation.
Video footage of the altercation between Keltner and Elliott, the BLM supporter and agitator, and then Keltner and Dolloff is available online and is worth reviewing:
Denver Shooting 3 angles – murder of Patriot Lee Keltner and preceding altercation. Keltner clearly was retreating and further attempted to mace the gunman Doloff after he pulled a pistol.
Left: Original Video, Middle: @DanielMannix10 Video, Right: 9News Producer Video pic.twitter.com/udByUTXgim
— John Curtis (@Johnmcurtis) October 14, 2020
Dolloff was arrested shortly after the incident on charges of second degree murder. Despite being hired as a security guard, Dolloff did not have a security guard license in the City or County of Denver. Additionally, 9News indicated that they were unaware that Dolloff was armed at the event. A review of Dolloff’s social media profiles demonstrate he was an Occupy Denver attendee with a passion for fighting “fascism” and “racism,” which indicate his far-left political convictions.
Yet last week, the Denver DA’s Office decided to drop all charges saying they could not “overcome the legal justifications of self-defense.”
“Having fully considered the facts and circumstances surrounding the charges, today we informed Lee Keltner’s family members that we will soon dismiss the criminal case against Matthew Dolloff,” a statement read. “In line with our ethical obligations, we cannot overcome the legal justifications of self-defense or defense of others. We are not able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In line with our ethical obligations, we cannot overcome the legal justifications of self-defense or defense of others. We are not able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
— Denver DA's Office (@DenverDAsOffice) March 10, 2022
The politicization of the justice system in America could not be more evident. Left-wing fanatics, BLM supporters and antifa are very rarely investigated, let alone prosecuted, yet conservatives and American patriots are routinely persecuted with the full force of the criminal justice system on trumped up charges.
Many organizations and activists, including the National Justice Party, have been quick to condemn the Denver DA’s Office for its inexplicable decision to not even bring charges against a man who shot and killed another person in broad daylight.
“Dolloff’s self-defense claim is bogus, and would be child’s play for any prosecutor to overcome,” the NJP noted in a statement. “As can be seen from [photographs] of the incident, Keltner is backing away with his arms down as Dolloff is reaching for the gun at his waist. Photos of the entire incident make it clear that Keltner was retreating from a physical altercation that was instigated by Dolloff.”
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann is expected to drop all charges against Dolloff at a pre-trial conference scheduled for March 21.
