Peter Boyles

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Peter Boyles (born 1943) is a popular and controversial radio host in Denver, Colorado. Boyles can be heard on his morning drive-time talk show on 630 KHOW in Denver and on khow.com. His strong political opinions do not fit the usual radio talk show liberal or conservative stereotypes. For instance, although he advocates meaningful enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, he is also an ardent supporter of labor unions and gay rights.

Boyles got national attention in 1997 by his investigation and nearly constant talk about the death of JonBenét Ramsey. In August 2006 he received intense criticism for his belief that John Mark Karr was not involved in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. Boyles was vindicated when "the most expensive DNA test in Colorado history" exonerated Karr.[1]. These and other topics frequently make their way into satirical song parodies by Boyles and his partner Don Wrege of MediaWhore Productions.

Boyles has been critical of the Denver Police in the past, especially in the shooting death of Ismael Mena where he tried to prove a theory that the Denver SWAT team covered up the shooting. He also critized the police in the shooting death of Paul Childs.

In recent years, Boyles' favorite talk-show topic has been illegal immigration, which he strongly opposes. He is highly critical of lack of enforcement of immigration laws at the federal, state, and local levels, and what he considers tacit government encouragement of illegal immigration.

Boyles is highly critical of former Denver district attorney (and current Colorado governor) Bill Ritter's practice of allowing accused felons, such as Walter Noel Ramo, to plead guilty to the lesser charge of "agricultural trespass." Boyles supports the legal defense of Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Senior Special Agent Cory Voorhis, who was prosecuted, but found not guilty, for retriving Walter Noel Ramo's criminal record sheet from the NCIC database and sharing it with the staff of sitting Congressman Bob Beauprez. Boyles asks why the Denver District Attorney employee who allegedly accessed the same information and shared it with the Ritter campaign is not also being prosecuted.

Congressman Tom Tancredo is a frequent guest on the Peter Boyles show. Governor Bill Ritter no longer makes appearances on the show.

Boyles is a supporter of same-sex marriage. He was first to break the story of Reverend Ted Haggard's sexual affair with a male prostitute.

Boyles is also an avid motorcyclist, and hosts USA Biker Nation a syndicated weekly radio talk show on motorcycle topics. He frequently promotes charity benefit rides, such as the one for the widow and children of slain police officer Donnie Young.

Boyles grew up in a working-class family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He struggled with an addiction to barbiturates and cocaine earlier in life and is a self-proclaimed recovering alcoholic.

In August 2006, Boyles was diagnosed with a mild case of West Nile virus.