Heller v. People

We granted certiorari to consider the decision of the court of appeals in Heller v. People, 698 P.2d 1357 (Colo.App.1984), which affirmed the conviction of the defendant, Richard G. Heller, on four counts of securities fraud. One of the issues on which we granted certiorari was whether the trial court erred in instructing the jury that good faith is not a defense to the charge of fraudulent and other prohibited practices in the sale of securities.

In People v. Riley, 708 P.2d 1359 (Colo.1985), we held that such an instruction was erroneous and irreconcilable with the requisite culpability for…