Tina Peters attacked in state prison, attorney says

Driving the news: In a letter to Trump and his pardon counsel dated Sunday, Peter Ticktin wrote that six months ago, inmates threatened to stab and kill Peters, age 70.

• Even after she transferred units, Peters was attacked by other inmates and needed guards to pull them off of her, the letter said.
• A request to transfer Peters to a safer unit was denied six times, Ticktin added.

What they're saying: "Of course, prison is a horrible experience for anyone, but it is worse for those who are innocent and wrongfully prosecuted," he wrote.

• "There are dangerous people who truly belong locked up, but Tina Peters is not one of them," he added.

The other side: The letter does not present evidence of the violent claims, and the state corrections department could not immediately verify them.

Flashback: Peters, a Trump supporter and prominent 2020 election denier, was sentenced in October 2024 to 8.5 years in prison and six months in county jail. A jury had convicted her on seven of 10 charges, including four felonies.

• Her attorneys are appealing to Trump for a presidential pardon, even though he has no jurisdiction over state-level cases. Trump is threatening to retaliate against the state of Colorado if Peters is not released.

• The Trump administration asked Gov. Jared Polis to transfer Peters to federal custody, but he refused.
• Most recently, Trump called Polis a "sleazebag" for his decision.

Zoom in: The assertion from Peters' attorney about her circumstances echoes other unconfirmed reports posted online about her mistreatment.

• Peters is currently in the smallest cell in her unit, a 3-foot by 7-foot room with a cellmate and a black mold infestation, according to her attorney. She is woken in the middle of the night for drug tests and has a chronic cough.