Michael Lee Marshall Death: Protesters Call for Federal Investigation

Editor's note: Earlier this morning, we published a post featuring video that captured the jailhouse death of Michael Lee Marshall last November. The Denver District Attorney's Office has decided not to prosecute deputies in the case.

Attorneys Darold Killmer and Mari Newman represent Marshall's family, and at a press conference at 3 p.m. yesterday, following the release of Morrissey's decision letter announcing the reasons he didn't think criminal charges were appropriate in the matter, they appeared with the late man's loved ones — and our Kevin J. Beaty was there.

Speaking outside the Denver Van Cise Simonet Detention Center, attorney Darold Killmer said that the office of District Attorney Mitch Morrissey had just sent his staff multiple discs containing video showing Michael Marshall's death in city custody.

"Denver has been hiding the evidence that showed the killing of Michael Marshall." Kilmer said. "They turned it over to us today in a jumbled mess disorganized and we're still working our way through it.

Surrounded by faith leaders and Marshall's family, Killmer called on the federal government and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to investigate Denver law enforcement.


Killmer wasn't surprised by the DA's decision not to prosecute the deputies involved in the case.

"Mr. Morrissey," said Killmer, "has never held Denver law enforcement accountable for any killing that occurred at their hands, ever."


The footage was released less than a week after a Black Lives Matter 5280 protester spoke out at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Marade, billed as the largest gathering for that holiday in the world. Activist Amy Brown made the tapes' release the loudest and most central of her demands to Mayor Michael Hancock, whose speech she interrupted.

"Where's Mayor Michael Hancock?" asked Dr. Timothy Tyler, Pastor of Shorter Community AME Church, at yesterday's press conference. "When Marvin Booker was killed, the family was escorted to the mayor's office and watched the video. Today, he just sent a courier."


Marshall's family had just viewed the footage and was visibly shaken.

His niece, Natalia, who spoke at the Marade on Monday, said she watched her uncle's "lifeless body as they just tossed him around."


Other speakers, including Roshan Bliss of Black Lives Matter 5280, expressed a new disgust with Denver authorities.

"We no longer can trust this city to deliver justice or to keep us safe," Bliss said. "Loretta Lynch, come investigate Denver's safety departments.