Attorney David Lane says he’s got about a half-dozen active lawsuits against the Denver Police Department, including an excessive-force complaint against DPD officer and ex-American Gladiator contestant Vicki Fernandez that’s scheduled for trial beginning today. His latest? A suit on behalf of the Martinez family, whose members are part of…
Westword contributor Britt Chester’s post about nearly being hit by a car while riding his bike and then getting into a confrontation with a cop has sparked a lively debate about responsibility on the road — included this post calling for cooperation…
The participants in this weekend’s Extreme Midget Wrestling event at Summit Music Hall were small but mighty, as is clear from photog Aaron Thackeray’s action-packed images. And there are lotsa memorable shots where those came from. Check out Spoke in Wordz’s CD release party at Casselman’s and more on Westword’s…
Of late, Carmelo Anthony has been bitching about being booed in Sports Illustrated and on Twitter — so when I scored tickets to Sunday’s game versus Indiana, I was curious to check out the situation firsthand. And last night, at least, there were far more cheers than jeers. Although it…
I understand why NFL experts were suggesting last week that the Jay Cutler trade had set the Broncos back five years (several months after other NFL experts, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, had argued that the Broncos had gotten the better of the Bears in the deal). But given yesterday’s 21-14…
Earlier this week, the National Western Stock Show apologized for gay jokes told by its rodeo clown/bullfighter and announcer. But the incident wasn’t the first of its kind for the stock show. In 1997, there were two others: one in which a black rodeo clown made a joke that many…
Cloaked in secrecy, juvenile court matters are so rarely covered in Colorado that it’s been instructive watching the Denver Post fumble a bit in its reporting on Jacob Christenson, the eleven-year-old in Parker charged with second-degree arson over a fire that caused $195,000 in damages to a neighbor’s townhome…
Representative Wes McKinley, a Democrat who represents District 64 in the southeastern corner of the state, could well be the most colorful lawmaker in the Colorado General Assembly, with a background that includes ranching, teaching and serving as the foreman of the Rocky Flats Grand Jury. But first and foremost,…
We present these three Denver blog posts. 5280’s A.J. Vincens notes that Kobe Bryant tells fans to keep supporting Melo, because otherwise he might seek cheers elsewhere. Cue raucous laughter. Colorado Independent’s Scot Kersgard: A happy ending for an MMJ patient. Denver Egotist: Electrokraut sensation Totally Ghost is hauntingly good…
At a rally Friday against Denver’s ban on pit bulls, the lone city council member in favor of the overturning the measure told a cheering crowd of about a hundred people that an upcoming federal lawsuit focusing on a loophole established by the Americans with Disabilities Act could weaken the…
Although Kevin Alexander probably won’t get a second chance with the Denver Broncos, it looks like he’ll have his freedom. The rookie linebacker Alexander was cut by the team almost immediately after being arrested on an assault-and-battery accusation in December. The Broncos said his ouster was unrelated to the bust…
Jeff Fortin surrendered his dog breeding license last week — much to the delight of animal lovers, who have been complaining about him for years. But he didn’t do so before euthanizing 1,200 dogs at his Oberlin, Kansas puppy breeding business, where an outbreak of distemper in December kept him…
In an interview earlier this week about stepping down as CEO of MediaNews Group, Dean Singleton said his new position as the company’s executive chairman would allow him to focus on “opportunities for expansion, which I have always enjoyed doing.” And how: Today, Singleton announced that a MediaNews subsidiary had…
HB 1043, a new medical marijuana bill, combines legislative cleanup efforts by Senator Pat Steadman and Representative Tom Massey, co-sponsor of the MMJ measure that became law in June. Steadman admits that he doesn’t agree with everything in the bill at this point, and neither does Massey, whose proposals include…
Our post about New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov pulling out of the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes due in part to the Nuggets dragging out the process drew some sharp responses from readers. Judging by this post, plenty of fans are ready for the team to start making decisions, even if…
Even though Denver’s crime rate is going down, excessive force against the Denver Police Department cause continue to stir debate, as in the cases of Alexander Landau and Michael DeHerrera. In an effort to counter the impression of a department out of control, the DPD has issued a fact sheet…
The Denver Police Department has released crime figures for 2010, most of which are positive. According to the DPD, murders hit a ten-year low, with the rates of many other crimes diminishing. Granted, prostitution arrests rose 72 percent and child-porn busts are up 15 percent, but the DPD sees that…
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 forgotten. At Monday’s Martin Luther…
The 2010 Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mom is the gift that keeps on giving for Focus on the Family. Next month at their convention in Nashville, the National Religious Broadcasters will reportedly name it the year’s best — and why not? The commercial, on view below,…
As a state lobbyist, Ronald Dean Smith is a familiar figure in Colorado politics — which only makes the charges against him more bizarre. He’s accused of burglary and more for actions described in an arrest warrant on view below, including allegedly leaving raw chicken in the vents of his…
Police brutality is big news these days — but until this week, I’d never experienced any problems with law enforcement. The events at 16th and Champa streets on Monday night, however, have changed my whole perspective on abuse of power…
