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It took almost two years, but two Denver police officers were fired for the 2009 beating of a gay man. The beating was caught on a surveillance camera. The officers lied about the incident. The firings were announced by Denver's Manager of Safety Charles Garcia. He stated that the actions of Devin Sparks and Randy Murr did 'immeasurable harm' to the department.
Two Years After Being Caught On Video Beating Hispanic Gay Man, Denver Cops Fired
Seeded on Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:01 PM EDT
Article Source: lezgetreal.com- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (12)
A city surveillance camera showed that DeHerrera was talking on a cell phone when Sparks hurled him to the ground and started pummeling the prone mane with a metal rod wrapped in leather. The safety manager at the time, Ron Perea, suspended the two officers for three days to the outrage of the city’s gay and Hispanic communities. Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman wanted the two men fired.
Reuters’ reported:
Interim Mayor Bill Vidal said Friday the firings were a “just conclusion to a troubling incident.”
- 4 votes
#1 - Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:02 PM EDT
Justice won out in the end, but the fact that it happened at all is disgusting. Is there more information on this? - the seed is somewhat short.
Any statute of limitations on prosecuting these two?
- 7 votes
#2 - Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:06 PM EDTDenver cops have screwed up like this many times.
And they do lie their asses off after the fact.
Pretty much the only way to win is if you catch them on tape.
Pretty sad.
- 4 votes
#3 - Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:28 PM EDTWhat I'm stunned about, is that if the beating was as described in the article, the man talking on a cell phone, was thrown to the ground and beaten with a metal rod by an officer, was captured on video tape, and they lied in their report, that it took the protests of a community to give them a 3 day suspension. Why has it taken 2 years for their dismissal due to a "troubling incident" If this had been reversed the man would be in prison now. This is shameful.
- 6 votes
#4 - Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:54 PM EDTI did not see anything in the report that shows that the inappropriate use of force was used on the guy because he was gay.
Was being gay any part of the use of force? No proof of it. Not in the story. Any more links to that info?
Should the officers be fired for exessive use of force and the cover up...sure.
- 1 vote
#5 - Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:56 PM EDTNo the report didn't say he was beaten because he was gay, but are you suggesting they just pick some guy at random talking on a cell phone, throw him to the ground and beat him with a metal rod wrapped in leather.....perhaps they just had a bad day.
- 5 votes
I have not made any suggestions or made any conclusions. I was just citing that the article does not make any connection to the use of force and the guy being gay.
Criminal charges will not be filed and a settlement of $17,500 has already been made for the excessive force.
- 1 vote
The relevance is in this quote:
The safety manager at the time, Ron Perea, suspended the two officers for three days to the outrage of the city’s gay and Hispanic communities.
- 2 votes
The police have always needed a firm hand on their reigns when it comes to issues such as these. It wasn’t very long ago that it was the police themselves that were the group gay communities feared the worst, arbitrarily going into peoples homes and bars and arresting people on trumped up charges. Hell, after Harvey Milks assassination they openly supported his murderer. That is not to say that all police officers or even most feel that way, but the fact remains that many officers alive in the 80’s and 90’s where homophobia was rife still serve today and things like this need to be acted on immediately and not wait two years for enough pressure to be put on to actually reprimand their staff. There is far too much of a “We’ll protect our boys” mentality in the force. Sometimes the police can be just as corrupt as the criminals they pursue.
- 4 votes
#6 - Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:11 AM EDTImmeasurable harm to the police department? What about the subject of the brutality? Serve and protect my backside!
- 2 votes
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