John Kellner

Veteran Elected Official Candidate Business Owner Policy Expert

Denver, Colorado

John Kellner is a former District Attorney for Colorado's 18th Judicial District and U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. A recognized Prosecutor of the Year for cold case work, he founded the Veterans Treatment Court program and now practices law at Dan Caplis Law.

Biography

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John Kellner is an accomplished attorney, former District Attorney, and U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He currently serves as Managing Partner at Dan Caplis Law in Denver, focusing on serious injury and wrongful death cases. Previously, he served as District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District of Colorado, covering Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties, where he was responsible for seeking justice for over 1.1 million Coloradans.

Kellner's prosecutorial career earned him recognition as Colorado's Prosecutor of the Year by the Colorado District Attorney's Council for his cold case work. During his tenure as Chief Deputy District Attorney and later District Attorney, he tried over 15 murder cases and handled some of Colorado's most challenging cold cases. He founded the Veterans Treatment Court program in the 18th Judicial District, which achieved a remarkable 1% recidivism rate by addressing the root causes of criminal behavior among veterans.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Kellner served on active duty as a trial counsel, operational law attorney, and Special Assistant United States Attorney. He deployed to Afghanistan as part of his military service. He continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, combining his legal expertise with his commitment to military service.

Kellner holds a law degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder School of Law. In 2022, he ran as a candidate for Colorado Attorney General. He remains engaged in legal practice and community service through his work at Dan Caplis Law.

Kellner appeared on the Kim Monson Show ten times during his 2020 campaign for District Attorney, discussing crime trends, police accountability, progressive prosecution, the Veterans Treatment Court program, and public safety issues in the Denver metro area.

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Episodes

10 appearances

October 28, 2020

Colorado DA Candidates Make Final Case for Public Safety Six Days Before Election

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

Kim Monson interviews DA candidates Tim McCormack, Matt Durkin, and John Kellner, plus state house candidate Tony Caputo and financial advisor Jason McBride. October 28, 2020.

“One of the things that I helped create was a veterans treatment court. And I brought together, you know, really my experience as a Marine serving our country and realizing that we've got issues with PTSD and we've got issues with substance abuse, really demons that, you know, follow people around sometimes after they've served.”

23:15 – 27:39

Segment

October 21, 2020

Exposing Secret COVID Meetings, Community Safety, and China’s Global Ambitions

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

Mayor exposes secret COVID meetings, DA candidate discusses community safety, author examines China's American princelings. October 21, 2020.

“How can you lead an office of about 100 prosecutors who go into court day in and day out and ask juries to hold people accountable for those very same crimes when you've never stood in their shoes? It's hard to have the judgment to know what is the right thing to do on a case if you've never been in that position to do it before.”

17:43 – 26:44

Segment

September 30, 2020

Community Safety and Colorado Ballot Measures in Focus

Ballot Measures & TABOR

DA candidate John Kellner and Liberty Toastmasters members discuss community safety and Colorado's 2020 ballot measures.

“That's the mentality they bring to this idea that criminal prosecution is more about helping the offenders than it is about helping victims and achieving justice for the community. I will not stand for that.”

16:32 – 26:23

Segment

September 9, 2020

Douglas County Fights for Local Control During COVID Crisis

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

Douglas County commissioners discuss local control vs. state COVID mandates. DA candidate John Kellner addresses rising crime. September 9, 2020.

“And right now we're facing an unprecedented crime wave in terms of violent crime.”

12:18 – 19:21

Segment

August 19, 2020

Community Safety and the Power of Asking Why

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

John Kellner on rising crime and Veterans Treatment Court; Brad Beck on the power of asking 'why' in civic life. August 19, 2020.

“We wanted to create a court where we could actually help those veterans, get them plugged in with all the many resources, the great community groups out there, veterans affairs, mental health treatment services, and try to get them out of the criminal justice system and get them back on their feet.”

16:12 – 26:39

Segment

July 29, 2020

Small Town Resilience, Rule of Law Stakes in the DA Race, and American Generosity

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

John Kellner discusses the DA race and public safety while Jason McBride examines record charitable giving on July 29, 2020.

“The primary role of government, the thing we expect at its very core is to provide public safety for its citizens. And that's one of the few things that only government really, we expect them to do for us.”

17:11 – 30:46

Segment

July 8, 2020

COVID Lockdowns Harm Medical Care While Crime Surges in Aurora

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

John Kellner on Aurora's crime surge and DA race. Sally Pipes on COVID lockdown harm to medical care. July 8, 2020.

“You have to have a district attorney who's knowledgeable and capable of handling the toughest and most difficult and most challenging cases that you're going to see in your community.”

15:15 – 24:58

Segment

June 10, 2020

Police Accountability and Government’s Hidden Costs on Construction

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

Kim Monson examines Colorado's SB 217 police accountability bill and government regulations driving up construction costs. June 10, 2020.

“If you're going to apply that standard for one aspect of government to increase trust and accountability, then it should be the same across the entire board for government.”

15:28 – 25:05

Segment

May 20, 2020

Rule of Law and Economic Recovery in the COVID Era

Colorado Politics & Policy

DA candidate John Kellner and economist Brian Domitrovic examine rule of law and supply-side recovery on May 20, 2020.

“I firmly believe in upholding the rule of law.”

17:13 – 25:14

Segment

April 29, 2020

YouTube Censorship, Police State Concerns, and Oil Market Crisis

Civic Engagement & Grassroots

Kim Monson examines YouTube censorship, police state warning signs, crime trends during COVID-19 with John Kellner, and oil market turmoil with Tom Petrie.

“We're really concerned about this sort of cauldron, if you will, of domestic violence victims being locked in a place with somebody who might be abusive to them and not being out in the community in a way that other people can ask what's going on.”

16:09 – 25:05

Segment

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John Kellner

Biography

Episodes

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