Governor of Colorado Lets Two People Leave Prison

May 16, 2026, 16:32
USPolitics

Introduction

Governor Jared Polis helped two people, Tina Peters and Brandin Kreuzer. They can leave prison on June 1.

Main Body

Tina Peters was a government worker. She broke the law during the 2020 election. The judge gave her nine years in prison. The Governor said this was too long for her first crime. Some leaders are happy, but other leaders are angry. Brandin Kreuzer shot a police officer many years ago. He had a 50-year sentence. He stayed in prison for 15 years. He started a fitness program for other prisoners. The Governor said he is a better person now. Some people do not like these choices. The police and the victim of the shooting are sad and angry. They think the Governor does not respect the law.

Conclusion

Governor Polis used his power to shorten two prison sentences. He thinks the sentences were too long.

Learning

⚡ The 'Time' Jump

Look at how we talk about the past versus the present in this story. We use specific word changes to show something is finished.

Past Action → Present State

  • Broke (Past) → Is (Present)
  • Shot (Past) → Is (Present)

The 'Length' Pattern When we describe time in prison, we use numbers + time words. This is a key A2 skill:

  • Nine years (Short term)
  • 50-year sentence (Long term)
  • 15 years (Completed time)

Word Power: Feelings Notice the simple words used to describe emotions. Use these to express your opinion:

  • Happy 😊
  • Angry 😡
  • Sad 😢

Example: "The police are angry." (Subject + are + Feeling)

Vocabulary Learning

helped
gave assistance
Example:She helped her friend with homework.
leave
go away from a place
Example:They will leave the city tomorrow.
prison
a place where people are kept as punishment
Example:He spent five years in prison.
government
the group that runs a country
Example:The government announced new policies.
worker
a person who does a job
Example:The factory worker fixed the machine.
broke
violated a rule
Example:He broke the law by stealing.
law
a rule that must be followed
Example:The law says you must wear a seatbelt.
judge
a person who decides a case
Example:The judge gave a fair verdict.
gave
provided
Example:She gave him a gift.
years
units of time
Example:She has worked for ten years.
long
lasting a lot of time
Example:The movie was long.
first
the earliest
Example:This is my first book.
crime
an illegal act
Example:The crime was reported to police.
leaders
people who guide others
Example:Community leaders met yesterday.
happy
feeling joy
Example:She felt happy after the party.
angry
feeling upset
Example:He was angry when he lost the game.
police
law enforcement officers
Example:The police stopped the traffic.
officer
a police employee
Example:The officer asked for ID.
sentence
a punishment order
Example:He received a two-year sentence.
started
began
Example:They started the project last week.