The Frontpage

Stories from the Nov. 10, 1993 issue of the Mancos Times

Jury convicts Cochran

“After a weeklong trial in District Court, Norman John Cochran was convicted Saturday of six counts of sexual assault on three former clients of the Bio-magnetic Educational Foundation.

A seven-woman, five-man jury found Cochran, 62, guilty on five felony counts and one misdemeanor charge of variously assaulting the three female victims during treatment sessions in 1991 and 1992. He was also acquitted on 19 other felony charges involving one of the women, who had alleged she was forced to engage in unwanted sexual intercourse with Cochran 20 times over a period of five months.

“Apparently, the jury felt the first time was not consensual,” District Attorney George Buck said Monday of that result. “I think that’s what the verdicts are telling us – the first one was not consensual, and after that it was.”

Cochran was also convicted on three other felony counts involving a second victim who had recounted how he forced her to perform oral sex on him, and of both felony and misdemeanor sexual assault counts concerning a third victim. ... The three victims were being treated by Cochran for headache, backpain, weight gain, metabolic problems, depression and other ailments, their testimony revealed.”

Mike Brunk convicted of embezzling

“Former Montezuma County undersheriff Mike Brunk pleaded guilty last week to embezzling public property in connection with travel expenses he’d collected from both the county and Delta-Montrose Vocational Center in 1991.

Brunk resigned immediately after being questioned about the “double-dipping” by Sheriff Tim Wood, it was disclosed during his sentencing. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct related to failing to pay about $6 for personal long distance telephone calls he made from his office.”