Robert White

Alex Landau on the decision not to charge cops who nearly beat him to death

Last week, Denver Manager of Safety Alex Martinez announced that there would be no charges against the three Denver police officers who nearly beat college student Alex Landau to death in 2009. Earlier this week, we spoke with Landau's lawyer, who was troubled by evidence he fears Martinez ignored. ... More >>

Alex Landau beating: Advocate backs police monitor's call for more investigation

Friday afternoon, the office of Denver Manager of Safety Alex Martinez announced that there would be no charges against the three Denver police officers who nearly beat college student Alex Landau to death in 2009. In Martinez's mind, the case should be over at this point. But Independent Monitor N ... More >>

Photos: Denver celebrities and icons honor Ron Zappolo -- by borrowing his mustache

Tonight, Ron Zappolo -- who won this year's Best of Denver Best Anchor award -- will step away from the Fox31 news desk that he's occupied since 2000, with the goal of returning to his first love, sports, after a well-deserved break. That means his trademark mustache is at least temporarily availabl ... More >>

Alex Landau case: No charges against three Denver cops in his brutal beating

Update below: In February, the Justice Department decided not to charge the officers who beat Alex Landau to a pulp with federal civil rights violations. Then, days later, a cop who pummeled him was reinstated at the conclusion of a separate excessive-force investigation. Although Landau was frustr ... More >>

Marijuana: Andrew Walton busted in free-pot delivery scheme

Last month, we reported about the proliferation of free-marijuana giveaways on Craigslist, with respondents getting weed at no charge if they offered a donation or bought something else. Participants insisted that such offers were authorized under Amendment 64, which allows Colorado adults 21 and o ... More >>

Photos: Alex Landau faces Alex Martinez at Michael DeHerrera police brutality rally

Earlier this week, Alex Landau, who was brutally beaten by police in 2009, expressed frustration about the reinstatement of an officer previously fired in a separate incident involving Michael DeHerrera, and also complained about Manager of Safety Alex Martinez's decision not to meet with him about ... More >>

Mayra Nunez allegedly kills two of her kids, wounds third, then commits suicide (59-60)

Photos of 23-year-old Globeville resident Mayra Nunez and her kids -- daughters Nivek, six, and Isabella, three, and son Eric, two -- depict a happy young family. But from this point forward, they'll likely trigger more sadness than joy in friends and loved ones. That's because Denver police believe ... More >>

Drunk cyclists: Under new Denver policy, DUIs for bike riders won't affect driving records

The news that the Denver Police Department will now be enforcing state drunk cycling laws and giving out DUIs to intoxicated riders has sparked a lot of debate. But as word spread earlier this week, DPD officials said it was unclear how DUIs for cyclists would affect their driving licences. Now, ... More >>

Drunk cycling: Is Denver's new bike DUI policy harsher than rules in other states?

Yesterday, we reported that Denver Police are now enforcing state drunk-cycling laws -- meaning intoxicated cyclists can be charged with DUIs just like inebriated drivers. Some cycling advocates question whether this is good public policy -- and a look at parallel laws around the country shows that ... More >>

Amendment 64: Manager of Safety predicts law enforcement "turmoil" if it passes

Alex Martinez, Denver's Manager of Safety, does not want to weigh in on the policy debates around Amendment 64, the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, which has only added to the national attention Colorado is getting this election. But, he tells us, one thing is clear: If it passes, there's lik ... More >>

Marijuana: Michael Hancock rips Amendment 64, campaign responds (update)

Update: The Amendment 64 campaign has replied to Mayor Michael Hancock's comments below. The response is on page three, following the original post. In the intensifying endorsement war around Amendment 64, Colorado's Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol act, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has come out in ... More >>

Denver Diner case: Mayor Michael Hancock says reforms needed at Civil Service Commission

Asked about the Denver Civil Service Commission's reinstatement of two police officers fired for a billy-clubbing and macing incident at the Denver Diner, Mayor Michael Hancock says it's time to re-evaluate the commission's disciplinary hearings process. His comments only add to pressure on the comm ... More >>

Michael Hancock takes cabinet to community for a preview of tonight's de-Brucing briefing

Mayor Michael Hancock held his second "Cabinet in the Community" town-hall meeting Saturday morning at the transformed Rude Recreation Center in west Denver -- a physical manifestation of his campaign promise to "reconnect people to their government." Even if there were more government representativ ... More >>

Independent Monitor finalists talk immigration, independence, racial profiling

Today, Mayor Michael Hancock will interview the last three candidates for Denver's open Independent Monitor position -- again. In the second round of a search that has lasted six months, finalists Kenneth Moore, Nicholas Mitchell and Gary Maas all share connections to Colorado. Last night, they answ ... More >>

Colorado Springs Police bust of Steven Woods first under urban camping ban ordinance

At approximately 9:50 a.m. yesterday, the Colorado Springs Police Department made its first arrest for the city's public camping ban, which officers began enforcing ordinance in 2010. During an investigation of unlawful camps that had been set up in the area, members of the city's Homeless Outreach ... More >>

Photos: Celena Hollis vigil brings hundreds to City Park Jazz

City Park was awash in purple yesterday evening as hundreds gathered in Celena Hollis's favorite color during a vigil for the fallen Denver police officer. Exactly one week after she was shot and killed in City Park, politicians, law enforcement and residents visited the same place to celebrate her ... More >>

Photos: Celena Hollis vigil marked by tears, resolve

Earlier today, Kelsey Whipple shared her account of City Park Jazz's tribute to Celena Hollis, the Denver police officer murdered at the event the previous week. Westword's Nathan Federico also attended, and he tells the story in vivid, often emotional photos featuring the likes of Denver Police Chi ... More >>

Celena Hollis to be honored with vigil, concert at this Sunday's City Park Jazz

This Sunday, City Park Jazz will honor fallen Denver police officer Celena Hollis with a silent vigil that starts on the west side of Ferril Lake at 5 p.m. The concert will begin at the bandstand at 6 p.m., and scheduled performers Lionel Young and his band will play some of Hollis's favorite songs. ... More >>

Rollin Oliver, busted in Denver cop Celena Hollis's murder, reportedly a gang member (12)

Update: More information is emerging about Rollin Oliver, the man arrested following the fatal shooting of Denver Police officer Celena Hollis after a jazz event at City Park on Sunday night -- including increasingly solid reports establishing his gang affiliation. Not that this link offers much com ... More >>

Alex Landau still waiting for DPD decision, but his Westword story wins a major award

In January 2009, Alex Landau landed in the hospital after Denver cops pulled over the black teen for making an illegal left turn. He's still waiting for the Denver Police Department to determine the fate of the officers involved -- but another verdict came in this weekend, when Joel Warner's cover s ... More >>

Can the Rockies learn from their new neighbor, the Church of Scientology?

Michael Hancock has a new communications director in time for one-year anniversary

Happy anniversary, Mayor Hancock. A year ago, Michael Hancock defeated Chris Romer in the Denver mayoral runoff, capping an unlikely campaign that saw Hancock polling at just 10 percent two months before the May 3 election, then trouncing Romer in the runoff. But where were the big stories taking no ... More >>

Indepedent monitor: Search for Richard Rosenthal's successor drags on

The search is (still) on for Denver's second-ever independent monitor. After Richard Rosenthal accepted a similar position in British Columbia late last year, Mayor Michael Hancock's office convened a committee to search for his successor. By April, it had whittled the results down to three names: E ... More >>

Gang problems escalating in schools and neighborhoods, says activist

Denver Police haven't confirmed that the shockingly public slayings of Justin O'Donnell and Deon Rudd in northeast Denver on Friday were gang-related. But Reverend Leon Kelly, the veteran activist behind Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives, sees gang connections in this terrible act and many others th ... More >>

For the homeless, "urban camping" is no picnic

Also read: Councilman Albus Brooks discusses the proposed ban on urban camping

Councilman Albus Brooks discusses the proposed ban on urban camping

Also read: For the homeless, "urban camping" is no picnic

Independent Monitor: Meet candidates Eddie Aubrey, Julie Ruhlin and Stephen Connolly

Last night, Denver's future Independent Monitor and two other candidates spoke at their first community forum before the selection is whittled down. While Eddie Aubrey hails from Washington, Stephen Connolly and Julie Ruhlin live in Califonia, and all three boast experience from the Golden State. Wi ... More >>

Meet the three California candidates for Denver's new Independent Monitor

Released yesterday, the list of finalists for the open Independent Monitor position features three natives of the Golden State. The finalists bring experience at the Offices of Independent Review in their current homes of Fresno, Los Angeles and Orange County. From here, the finalists will be whittl ... More >>

Mary Beth Klee, new DPD Internal Affairs boss, a brutality apologist, attorney says

Late last month, the Denver Police Department named former district and country judge Jess Vigil to the new position of deputy manager of police discipline -- a move ballyhooed as an indication that the DPD under Chief Robert White is getting serious about brutality allegations. But the attorney for ... More >>

9News-Denver Police relationship not overly cozy, producer says

In our post about a 9News red-light-camera story that featured inaccurate information supplied by the Denver Police Department, which had touted the report in a Twitter survey, we cited one source's suggestion that the relationship between the DPD and the station was too cozy. That observer pointed ... More >>

F*ck the Police march: No evidence of urine-filled balloons, DPD says

Update: In the wake of Saturday's Fuck the Police march (see photos below), assorted media outlets, including the Denver Post, shared reports that urine-filled balloons had been hurled at the event, which resulted in five arrests. But Denver Police spokesman Lieutenant Matt Murray, who was on the sc ... More >>

Laura Bradford: Denver Police apology for special treatment step toward openness

Update below: Yesterday's Denver Police news conference was among the odder in recent memory -- but also among the more welcome. The DPD's concession that Representative Laura Bradford had received special privileges rather than being busted for a DUI, and its willingness to offer details about how ... More >>

Alex Martinez, Denver's new Manager of Safety and DPD overseer: What would you ask him?

Have something you want to ask Alex Martinez, Denver's new Manager of Safety? This is your chance: Westword writers will be meeting with the former Colorado Supreme Court justice this morning, to get an overview of the office and ask about some specific issues, including the recent rulings overtur ... More >>

Ricky Nixon, Denver cop involved in several brutality cases, is reinstated

Alex Landau and the Colorado Progressive Coalition promote racial profiling hotline

​Three years ago on Sunday, police officers pulled over Alex Landau,then nineteen, for taking an illegal left turn onto Emerson. They then beat him bloody. Although Landau received one of the city's largest police brutality settlements in May -- $795,000 -- his story remains a chilling example ... More >>

ACLU wants Department of Justice to investigate Denver Police

The December news that Richard Rosenthal, Denver's Independent Monitor, would be leaving the post for a similar job in British Columbia, was greeted with enthusiasm by some law-enforcement types, who saw him as anti-cop. And their delight wasn't tempered by his office's final scathing report, on vie ... More >>

Miriam Pena of Colorado Progressive Coalition has personal experience with the racial divide

The Santa Fe offices of the Colorado Progressive Coalition contain no front desk or really any lobby, just a series of colorful hallways unevenly decorated with Chicano and Native American artwork. The tables are covered with snacks and political literature, and the back wall marks a recent round of ... More >>

Occupy Denver's Ben Meyer discusses 'fiery raid' on Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Ben Meyer.​Two nights ago, Occupy Denver protester Ben Meyer woke up on the sidewalk of Broadway, put on his shoes and spent the rest of his evening with the Denver Police Department. The next night, he spoke on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Last night, the fire-forged raid on Occupy Denver ... More >>

Occupy Denver confronts cloaked man who might or might not be Dick Cheney (video)

​If you can get past the fact that Dick Cheney's name is spelled wrong in the title of this video, the rest of it is still confusing. On Friday, a handful of Occupy Denver protesters visited the site of the former vice president's recent (and secretive) trip to the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver ... More >>

Occupy Denver: Will city's new order mean more arrests today?

​After thirteen arrests on Monday following weeks in which no one was jailed, Occupy Denver spent last night strengthening its small fort city at Civic Center Park and preparing for a second wave of busts. Yesterday, Public Works officials served the group with a second official notice to remo ... More >>

Medical marijuana: 3,200 patient applications in limbo, may be tossed due to technicalities

​Update 2 by Michael Roberts below: Today, the state board of health approved decreasing marijuana registry fees from $90 to $35, as anticipated -- and tweaks in language involving indigent patients and physician conditions and restrictions sailed through as well. But more intriguing was word ... More >>

Barack Obama follows Calvin Coolidge's lead, snubs Brown Palace

Brown Palace 1892.​A week after Snobama buried the Front Range in hype and hope, we're still shoveling out -- and just dug up this fun fact: The Brown Palace has hosted every U.S. president since Teddy Roosevelt first visited in 1905, thirteen years after the hotel opened, except for two: Calv ... More >>

Letters to the Editor

From the week of August 14, 2003