Readers disagree about whether Denver Diner incident was police brutality

Our most recent post about an alleged 2009 excessive force incident at the Denver Diner featured Colorado Progressive Coalition's Miriam Pena defining what went down as police brutality. One of our readers agrees, while another one doesn't -- but both express themselves with great passion. Here are their responses...

By Michael Roberts

March 20, 2012

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Our most recent post about an alleged 2009 excessive force incident at the Denver Diner featured Colorado Progressive Coalition's Miriam Pena defining what went down as police brutality. One of our readers agrees, while another one doesn't -- but both express themselves with great passion. Here are their responses.

Sharpshooter writes:

Here's what's gonna happen: nothing. The cops will keep their jobs, and be even MORE empowered to abuse their authoriTAY because they got away with it multiple times before. One of 'em will kill a kid or an unarmed person, and then we'll see them removed from their position. For about three months! Meanwhile, they'll continue to draw a paycheck and laugh at the stupid ass civilians they beat and shoot. Bow to your overlords. worms! They get up early to beat the crowds!!

TRAV556 writes:

What brutality? The were not doing what the police told them to do and continued to approach them time after time. The Police would have been justified to shoot them. What would have happened if a pedestrian grabbed one of the officers guns?

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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