Marvin Booker

Marvin Booker jail death: Judge asked to stop city from blocking FBI access to evidence

Last month, the family of Marvin Booker, who died in custody at a Denver jail in 2010, expressed frustration over delays in a lawsuit they filed against the city the following year. Weeks later, a trial date still hasn't been set, but court action is taking place: The family's attorney, Darold Kilme ... More >>

Marvin Booker's family upset at delay in lawsuit against city, deputies they say caused his death

Justice for the family of Marvin Booker may have to wait. On Monday, Booker's brother, sister-in-law and cousins stood in front of the statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. in City Park and expressed their disappointment that the civil lawsuit they filed against the city and the sheriff's deputies whose ... More >>

Can new faces and a new structure bring discipline to the Denver Police Department?

Denver police misconduct allegations: A Westword update

In this week's cover story, "Back on the Beat," Westword explores recent changes within the Denver Police Department's oversight system and its investigation of Alex Landau's January 2009 beating. For a while, there won't be any changes: While the Department of Justice analyzes the Landau, the DPD h ... More >>

Anti-police brutality protest postponed out of respect for Celena Hollis

In light of the death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis, the Colorado Progressive Coalition, ACLU of Colorado and others have postponed the "Summer Against Police Violence" protest. The rally, originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, would have fallen at the same time as Hollis's funeral se ... More >>

Lon Jones cleared in killing of camera-shy homeless man

Not all self-defense killings are as dubious or controversial as the one that caused the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. That's the message Seventeenth Judicial District DA Don Quick sends in his decision letter clearing Brighton's Lon Jones, who earlier this month gunned down a homeless man w ... More >>

Photos: Trayvon Martin inspires police brutality march, demand for DPD review

Laurie Fitzgerald tried to tell her grandson about Trayvon Martin, about his hoodie, about his family, but it's hard. So she taught him the basics. When asked why he's carrrying a poster of the seventeen-year-old Florida student's face, four-year-old Royce Edwards answers only, "Because Trayvon is d ... More >>

Robert White will be Denver's next police chief, and Gerry Whitman will not be his PIO

Chief Robert White.​Mayor Michael Hancock's choice for Denver's new police chief, Robert White, was introduced at a hastily convened press conference at City Hall on Saturday. The announcement of Hancock's pick for this most-watched post had been moved up several days because the news of Whit ... More >>

16th Street Mall shuttle service shut down due to perfect storm of protesters and zombies

Flickr​One of this weekend's biggest downtown events -- Saturday's Denver Gorilla Run -- features a route that crosses past the 16th Street Mall but doesn't take place on it. That's no doubt a relief to the RTD. Last Saturday's events -- including the Zombie Crawl and separate marches involvin ... More >>

Alonzo Ashley death: ACLU wants coroner's docs, possible changes in police Taser training

Alonzo Ashley.​The decision by Denver DA Mitch Morrissey not to charge anyone in the case of Alonzo Ashley, who died at the Denver Zoo after an incident involving police, has already stirred controversy. But the ACLU of Colorado also believes it raises doubts about police training regarding Ta ... More >>

Police roundup at DNC leads to $200,000 settlement: Inside the protest, trial (PHOTOS)

Big pics below.​Kim Sidwell didn't attend a protest at the 2008 Democratic National Convention to rail against the man. She's a photographer who simply wanted to capture the scene in images. Instead, she herself was captured -- arrested, detained and put on trial. Later, Sidwell joined an ACLU ... More >>

Reader: Marvin Booker could be difficult, but that doesn't mean he deserved to die

Marvin Booker.​Sometimes the most interesting comments pop up on older posts. Take, for instance, an item that appeared on an August 2010 report about the jailhouse death of Marvin Booker, which remains a rallying point for protesters of alleged police misconduct, as demonstrated by a rally st ... More >>

Marvin Booker protest march on anniversary of controversial jail death (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Big pics below.​Aside from a guest commentary in the Denver Post on Saturday, major Denver media largely ignored a march to protest the jailhouse death of inmate Marvin Booker one year ago. But Booker's family continues to call for a federal investigation -- and plenty of people remain passion ... More >>

An anarchist charged with attempted murder sees her case blow up in court

"I was running down an alley, and then I heard them yell behind me, 'Mohawk, Mohawk!' There was a car parked at the end of the alley, and I was like, 'Oh, fuck.'"

Anne Kelly, Denver Sheriff's deputy, charged with 3rd-degree assault for slapping DUI suspect

Flickr​Irony alert: No charges were filed against Denver Sheriff's deputies in the jailhouse death of Marvin Booker last year -- but deputy Anne Kelly faces two counts for slapping a DUI suspect who suffered no apparent injury in the exchange.

Police brutality is killing us, says ACLU of Colorado

Alexander Landau.​"Police Brutality is Killing Us." That was the stark message, laid out in black-and-white, in the editorial pages of the Denver Post yesterday. But this wasn't an editorial: It was an ad placed by the America Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, part of a new Race to Justice ca ... More >>

Independent Monitor Richard Rosenthal keeps a close eye on the Denver police

Denver police brutality scandal: A multimedia timeline

Rosenthal.​This week's cover story, "The Watcher," details the role Denver's Independent Monitor Richard Rosenthal has played in the ongoing controversy involving city law enforcement and alleged police brutality. It's a scandal that's made nationwide news and is shaping the mayoral race. How ... More >>

Marvin Booker death: Family to call for federal investigation after Denver jail personnel cleared

Marvin Booker.​Yesterday, Denver finally released video showing the final moments of Marvin Booker, who died in Denver jail on July 9; see it below. But no charges were filed against Denver Sheriff's Department personnel. In response, Booker's family is planning to demand a federal investigat ... More >>

Reader: Sheriff's officers in Marvin Booker jail death should face manslaughter charges

Marvin Booker.​Manager of Safety Charley Garcia's decision to fire cops in the Michael DeHerrera beating and Denver Diner macing didn't earn officials a free pass from those upset that no criminal charges were filed in the July 2010 jail death of Marvin Booker. Here's one angry response.

Marvin Booker death: Family calls on feds to investigate, after Denver clears deputies

Marvin Booker​A day after Denver officials cleared five officers of wrongdoing in the death of an inmate in the Denver jail, the family of Marvin Booker made a public plea to federal officials to look into the case. "None of us could see my brother's reaction because of all of those police on ... More >>

Marvin Booker beating death decision coming today: See video, photos of protest march

Video, photos below.​On Friday, anti-police-violence protesters rallied to demand justice for Marvin Booker, who died in Denver County Jail last July -- and they won't have to wait much longer to learn if justice will be done. At 10 a.m. this morning, Denver Manager of Safety Charley Garcia wi ... More >>

Marvin Booker death: Denver Sheriff Department members cleared (VIDEO)

Marvin Booker​The five officers involved in restraining Marvin Booker in July 2010 at the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center -- an incident that ultimately led to his death -- will be not face criminal charges. Instead, they're scheduled to meet today with Director of Corrections Gary Wilson a ... More >>

Police brutality: Independent monitor says chokeholding Denver cop deserved to be fired

Jared Lunn.​The firing of two Denver cops over the Michael DeHerrera beating. The sacking of two more officers for billy-clubbing and macing at the Denver Diner. The $795,000 payout to brutality victim Alexander Landau. The bad PR keeps coming for the Denver Police Department. The latest? Two ... More >>

March against "police terror" tonight in honor of Marvin Booker, Oleg Gidenko and other victims

​Against the backdrop of Independent Monitor Richard Rosenthal's conclusion that Officer Eric Sellers should have been fired, not suspended, for brutalizing volunteer firefighter Jared Lunn comes the latest protest against "police terror." According to an item on West Denver Copwatch featuring ... More >>

Bill Vidal makes good on his promise to clean up the Denver Police Department

At Denver Diner.​No matter who becomes Denver's next mayor, it looks like the winning candidate will inherit a tidier, if more pissed-off police department -- and he or she will have interim mayor Bill Vidal to thank. Vidal might have had second thoughts about his decision not to run for mayor ... More >>

Gerald Whitman: If Denver Police chief goes, next mayor shouldn't ignore DPD candidates

Tracie Keesee.​Here's your chief's hat, what's your hurry? With many of the mayoral candidates saying that Denver Police Chief Gerald Whitman should go -- and Whitman himself saying he would resign if asked -- some people, including the author of today's Denver Post editorial, are calling for ... More >>

Denver police bad behavior: 96 disciplined in 2010 for drunkenness, theft and more

​Charley Garcia officially becomes Denver's newest Manager of Safety today -- the fourth person to hold the position in the last year. The first day on the job for Garcia, a former head of Denver's Public Defender office, follows news that Police Chief Gerald Whitman has handed over his recomm ... More >>

Mark Gruber: A Denver mayor's race profile

Mark Gruber.​With John Hickenlooper serving as Colorado's governor, we know Denver will have a new mayor this year, and the race is wide open. To introduce you to the players, we're offering profiles of official candidates. Next up: Mark Gruber. "It's very difficult to get good government whe ... More >>

Ken Simpson: A Denver mayor's race profile

Ken Simpson.​With John Hickenlooper serving as Colorado's governor, we know Denver will have a new mayor this year, and the race is wide open. To introduce you to the players, we're offering profiles of official candidates. Next up: Ken Simpson. "I believe that one person can make a differenc ... More >>

Marvin Booker lawsuit to establish pattern of police brutality in Denver, attorney says

Marvin Booker.​This morning, a team led by attorney Darold Killmer will file a lawsuit on view below in relation to Marvin Booker, who died in Denver jail July 9 after being put in a sleeper hold and Tased. But Killmer, who'll be center-stage during an 11 a.m. press conference about the case, ... More >>

Marvin Booker protest rally and march on the 16th Street Mall: A photo gallery

Marvin Booker.​Earlier this month, we reported that a rally for Marvin Booker, who died in Denver jail this past summer, would take place Saturday on the 16th Street Mall. That evening, a crowd of approximately 200-300 people -- some sporting bandannas, some waving signs -- turned minimally vi ... More >>

Marvin Booker protest against police planned for Denver Skatepark: "No justice, no peace"

Marvin Booker.​Alleged police brutality cases involving the likes of Alexander Landau and Michael DeHerrera may be front and center in the media these days, but friends and family members of Marvin Booker, who died in Denver jail in July under questionable circumstances, don't want his case fo ... More >>

Susan Greene resigns from Denver Post after being told her column would be canceled

Susan Greene.​"Trashing the Truth," a 2007 series by Miles Moffeit and Susan Greene about DNA evidence, remains the finest piece of journalism by the Denver Post over the past decade -- a controversial but deserved Pulitzer Prize finalist. Three years later, however, neither writer works for t ... More >>

Marvin Booker: Decision not to file charges in jail death prompts call for Mitch Morrisey's head

Marvin Booker.​As predicted, Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrisey's decision not to file charges in the July death of inmate Marvin Booker has proven unpopular with Booker's family and supporters. At a rally yesterday, supporters demanded either a grand jury investigation or Morrisey's resi ... More >>

Marvin Booker: Denver DA will file no charges in case of man who died in custody at Denver Jail

Marvin Booker.​Last month, a video of Michael DeHerrera being attacked without apparent provocation by a Denver cop received plenty of attention, especially after Mayor John Hickenlooper asked the FBI to review the case after his manager of safety declined to sack the officers involved. Firing ... More >>

John Hickenlooper promises Marvin Booker family private viewing of Denver jail death video

John Hickenlooper.​Mayor John Hickenlooper is out with a statement in the wake of Denver DA Mitch Morrissey's just-announced decision not to file charges in the Denver Jail death of Marvin Booker on July 9. He says the investigation is ongoing, and reveals that his office is working with Booke ... More >>

Denver police's alleged brutality tops Top 5 Police Blunders list on TrueCrimeReport.com

​TrueCrimeReport.com, a national crime website by Westword parent Village Voice Media, has been giving Colorado unwanted attention. Three weeks after Tim Masters case detective James Broderick finished first on the site's weekly Top 5 Police Blunders list, the Denver Police Department has reac ... More >>

Gerry Whitman: Will Michael DeHerrera police brutality case speed chief to retirement?

From CBS4 coverage.​The police-brutality controversy spurred by the attack on Michael DeHerrera -- which spawned yesterday's press event decrying violence against LGBTQ community members (to see photos, click here) -- has increased pressure on Denver Chief of Police Gerry Whitman. He defends h ... More >>

Ron Perea resigns from Manager of Safety job as police-beating scandals escalate

Ron Perea.​Did he jump or was he pushed? That's question one sparked by word that Denver Manager of Safety Ron Perea has resigned amid mounting negative publicity about alleged police brutality. Perea, you'll recall, found nothing wrong with the brutal 2009 beating of Michael DeHerrera, who c ... More >>

Inmate postcards: "Having wonderful crime, wish you were here"

This is NOT a mail truck.​Jailers in Boulder and Colorado Springs have cracked down on inmate mail, banning personal letters and limiting prisoners to postcards that staff can monitor and intercept if the communication is objectionable. County officials say the practice saves money and makes t ... More >>

Measure for Measure gets tricked out at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival