The prosecution of former Aspen police officer Jim Crowley may not get any special handling.

Crowley is due to appear in Pitkin County Court on Oct. 21 before Pitkin County Judge Erin Fernandez-Ely on charges of driving while ability impaired and improper use of a weapon.

District Attorney Martin Beeson said last week that he believes Fernandez-Ely and the attorneys in his office can give Crowley a fair shake in court, despite Crowley’s 18-year tenure working in the local criminal justice system.

“This case is different in that it is a law enforcement officer,” Beeson said. “But other than that, it is a citizen charged with a criminal offense and he will be treated like any other citizen.”

No motions have been filed on Crowley’s behalf requesting to move the trial out of Pitkin County or to obtain a special prosecutor, despite speculation that they would be necessary and that Judge Fernandez-Ely would recuse herself from presiding over the case.

Crowley’s arrest in Aspen was handled by an outside agency — the Snowmass Village Police Department — to avoid conflict with his colleagues at the Aspen Police Department. He has not yet hired a defense attorney, although local defense attorney Lawson Wills has been speaking  on his behalf.

Crowley was arrested Aug. 29 after he allegedly reported for morning duty with alcohol in his system and carried his pistol while intoxicated. He reportedly registered a .063 blood-alcohol content in a breathalyzer test that morning.

He was fired the next day.

andrew@aspendailynews.com