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

Well, today, Landau came face to face with Martinez -- plus Denver mayor Michael Hancock and Denver police chief Robert White -- at a rally decrying brutality.

Participants called for the firing of Officer Randy Murr, who was involved in both Landau's and DeHerrera's pummelings. Our Danielle Lirette captured the drama in vivid photos of the aforementioned attendees, plus Anthony and Denise DeHerrera, Michael's parents, and members of the Colorado Progressive Coalition, who turned out in force. Check them out below, along with a CPC release about the event.

DeHerreras and CPC Call On Officials to Remove Dangerous Officers from Force

Denver, Colorado -- Friday, March 1, 2013

In the wake of a ruling by the Denver Civil Service Commission hearing officers that reinstated Officer Randy Murr, a Denver Police officer involved in the unwarranted and unlawful cover up of the beating of their son Michael DeHerrera, the DeHerrera family met with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and delivered letters from survivors of police violence and misconduct.

Joined by over 70-100 Colorado Progressive Coalition Members and survivors of police violence including Alex Landau, Anthony and Denise DeHerrera argued for justice for their son that included ensuring that officers who are dangers to the community, such as Murr, are removed from the force. They asked the Civil Service Commission and the mayor to overturn the hearing officers' decision.

The rally began at the Webb Building in Denver where survivors provided their story and demonstrated how the decisions by city officials have allowed officers to recommit crimes on Denver residents. They then moved to the City and County building where the delegation including Landau and the DeHerreras was met in front of the buildings steps by the mayor, safety manager and chief of police as protestors continued to chant.

During the meeting Hancock reaffirmed the city's decision to appeal Murr's reinstatement. However, they did not come to a resolution when a decision on disciplinary measures for those involved in Landau's case would be made.

"The decisions by hearing officers at the Civil Service Commission to put violent and lying police officers back on our streets further harms the trust that community has in law enforcement. People in our community increasingly feel that police officers can do whatever they want and they will eventually get reinstated with back pay," said Colorado Progressive Coalition Racial Justice and Civil Rights Director Mu Son Chi. "When people see police as a threat to their own personal safety, they will not call the police when they are in need of help. Ultimately, this lack of trust makes our communities less safe.

"We continue to call on the termination of Officer Randy Murr and others who have assaulted members of our community, and we continue to call on the chief of police and the manager of safety to fire all officers involved in the assault on Alex Landau in January 2009. We want to work with the city to restore community trust, and we call on hearing officers to stop harming community safety."

Likewise, Landau called for an end to arbitrary deadlines for a decision on the discipline for officers involved in his case in which he was beaten nearly to death by Officers Tiffany Middleton, Randy Murr, and Ricky Nixon. He asked Hancock and the Manager of Safety Alex Martinez to give his family and himself a hard deadline that will be followed. The city did not provide a deadline for action.

"Over four years after the modern day Jim Crow brutality that I experienced at the hands of Denver law enforcement, the only thing that has transpired with the officers involved in my case is that they've gone on to attack other community members," said Landau. "Two of the officers were recently reinstated in their respective roles in attacking community members. Today, I came together with other survivors of those cases of police brutality along with the Colorado Progressive Coalition and over a hundred members of our community to call for the termination of these violent officers. We expect city to take immediate action."

Letters were delivered to the Civil Service Commission and to both Hancock and Martinez. Copies of those letters have been included in this release. Video will be available on the front page of Colorado Progressive Coalition's page later today.

More from our News archive: "Alex Landau frustrated by cop reinstatement, latest delay in bloody beating investigation."