Women Making History Now: Kate Battan

Photo courtesy of Betsy Rudicil, Rudicil Photography

April 20, 2010.  I had already met Kate Battan in early January, right after my sister was murdered.  I wasn't in Colorado for this April hearing, but the date and the hearing are very meaningful to me.  The date is significant because of what it revealed to me about the chief Investigator in my sister's case, and of course the hearing was one in a string of hearings that would decide the fate of the person who killed my sister.

When I think of homicide investigators (because now those are real people to me and I do actually think about them), I figure that most people would have an image of men in suits and a corrupt world of cops, donuts and conservative politics.  How about considering an image of a professional woman, with red hair and a warm smile who is not only brilliant and precise, but uses her sharp mind and female perspective in this man's world of homicide investigation?  Not only does Kate Battan thrive amongst her Jefferson County homicide team co-workers, she is a rare individual who does her job well while keeping her heart open and her perspective positive.  I could sing her praises all day, because it makes sense that I would love the person who helped to successfully investigate the crimes against my sister.  But I want to let Kate and her story speak for itself.

My brother and Investigator Kate Battan
Photo courtesy of Betsy Rudicil, Rudicil Photography

  It was a big deal for Kate to attend the preliminary hearing on April 20, 2010.  In 1999, on April 20, the world was shocked to learn of the devastating school shootings at Columbine HS in the Denver, Colorado area.  So many children brutally destroyed by other children-it's waves rocked the world.  You'll never guess who the chief investigator was in that case: Kate Battan.  Kate was one of the first people to set foot in that school and saw with her own eyes the individuals who were forever lost to their families and communities.  Not only was this an overwhelmingly huge case with a high profile, to Kate, these were real people in real pain.  You can read all the articles about the case anywhere on the internet, and Kate's name is plastered throughout.  Google Kate Battan and you get 10's of thousands of hits.  From that day forward, Kate would hold space for those families and children and set aside April 20 as a day of remembrance.  She never worked on April 20 in honor of those individuals. Kate has an unbelievably strong memory and I could guess that on April 20 she would re-live her exposure to those kids in that school and reach out to each and every one of them with a presence of heart and mind that might say something like "I remember.  I am sorry.  The truth of what happened is out there and we all did our part so that this might never have to happen again."

The thing is, when Kate was "getting to know my sister" through the investigation, she found a victim that inspired her.  As Kate later shared with me and our family, my sister's search for truth and willingness to face her life with honesty and a seeking heart sparked a long-ignored part of Kate that needed re-kindling.  When the preliminary hearing date was set for April 20, she didn't flinch.  She knew she would be at that hearing honoring both the Columbine victims and Alisha.  Kate's number one drive and belief that keeps her energy moving forward is the simple idea that the truth is worth searching for and when revealed, will re-set the balance point of what is good and right. She never gives up.  The hours and all-nighters she put into Alisha's case enabled her to chip away at the questions until she had everything she needed to help the prosecution do its job right.  And along the way, Kate payed more attention to her self and started taking better care of her own needs.  When I saw her again in January 2010 for the final hearing that incarcerated my sister's murderer, Kate looked like a new woman! She had met her own weight loss goals, she had a glow about her and she knew she had met all the objections the defense was trying to erect with truth and awesome investigative work/research.

As an equally powerful sidenote, the prosecution team was an all-female team.  We had Ann Joyce as the chief prosecutor and Abbey DeBoyes as second.  Then there was Kate and when it was all said and done, the murderer was marched out of the courtroom in handcuffs by a female officer!  How's that for a domestic violence team?!

"Alisha's Voice: aka the A-team". From L: Ann Joyce, Kate Battan, Ann VanWagner, victim advocate, Abbey DeBoyes and legal assistant. Photo courtesy of Betsy Rudicil, Rudicil Photography

Kate is also just such a neat person.  To rejuvenate, besides working out and eating mostly local, mostly vegetarian, Kate travels the world.  And she looks at it all through her camera lens.  I've seen a few of her photos and they are artistic and beautiful, depicting landscapes and inspiration from all corners of the globe.  Originally from California, her home has been Colorado for at least the last 15+ years.  She works on horribly ugly cases where women, men and children have done the most brutally wrong things to each other and still she seeks the truth and has an inner light that rarely flickers.  She believes that no matter how awful the victim may have been in their life, no one deserves to die at the hand of another via murder.  I know that when I lost my sister, a piece of me was ripped away.  I take comfort in knowing that Kate actually carries a little bit of that missing piece.  She protects it, carries it around, shines it and holds it up as the truth that it is.  And for that, because of all that she is, I am forever grateful.  This woman is truly making history.