Alleged burglar free after court oversight

A man accused of robbing an Aspen home in March had been in the Pitkin County Jail for almost three weeks without legal representation and without being advised of the charges he may face, until those facts were revealed yesterday in district court. Judge James Boyd ordered that Matthew Hughes, 21, be released from the jail on his own recognizance, citing “sufficient legal reason.” Hughes had been held since June 18 on $15,000 bond. “I apologize to Mr. Hughes for the confusion,” said deputy district attorney Tony Hershey. The oversight may have stemmed from the fact that Hughes was not arrested in Aspen, but extradited here for prosecution after an arrest in Florida. Despite leaving the jail yesterday, Hughes still faces charges of felony theft and second-degree burglary for allegedly taking $500 cash and prescription... [read full story]