Federal Judge Orders Denver Officials to Cut the Bull Shit

The Denver Post is reporting that U.S. Senior Federal Judge Kane, made a ruling yesterday ordering the City of Denver to produce every excessive-force complaint filed against every single Denver police officer or sheriff’s deputy in the past eight years, as well as all documents showing what the departments did with those complaints and whether they imposed any discipline on the officers involved. The city must also turn over any internal studies done on use of force by police officers.

The ruling comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed concerning excessive force.  Denver City Attorney’s have failed to provide the plaintiff’s attorney’s with the necessary discovery and as a result Judge Kane made this ruling.  Qusair Mohamedbhai told the post that, “No judge has ever compelled Denver to produce this amount of discovery related to its officers’ use of force.”

Now may be the perfect time to file a CORA request, citing Judge Kane’s ruling to get these documents in public hands.

Charley Garcia Resigns

Yesterday, Boss Hancock announced the resignation of Manager of Safety Charlie Garcia. This marks the fifth manager of safety in the past 13 months.  Garcia is being replaced for the time being by Deputy Manger of Safety Ashley Kilroy.  Now, Garcia was truly a piece of shit.  He denounced any real wrong doing in the murder of Marvin Booker.   That being said, of all the steaming heaps of shit that have occupied the manager’s of safety office, Charlie was the smallest pile and the least steamy.  It was under his short lived tenure that we sawthe termination of  a handful of DPD officers.

Garcia was despised by the rank and file, the police union, and the retried police association.  Hancock’s move leads us to believe that whoever the next permanent Manager of Safety will be is going to be another enormous heaping pile of rotten feces.

Open Copwatch Meeting TONIGHT (7/27)!!!!

Just a reminder: there will be an OPEN meeting for West Denver Copwatch TONIGHT (7/27) at the 27 Social Centre (2727 W. 27th Avenue or W. 27th and Clay)

What: Open West Denver Copwatch Meeting

When: TONIGHT 7/27 @ 7pm

Where:  (2727 W. 27th Avenue or W. 27th and Clay)

If you’re interested in starting your own Copwatch, interested in West Denver Copwatch, or want to get involved in organizing with WDC, then be there!

Music Video Mane Rok & DeeJay Tense Present: “This One’s” (Time Line Remix)

Our dear friend Mane Rok and DeeJay Tense have released their new video “This One’s ” (Time Line Remix).  The track(s)  can be purchased here.

Much Thanks to all folks that were involved in this and mad appreciation to Mane for reaching out to us and helping donate his time and funds to our cause.

R.I.P. Alonzo Ashley, Another Victim to Police Murder

Image courtesy of Denver Post

The initial reports concerning the death of Alonzo Ashley at the Denver Zoo on Monday July 18, 2011, have now proven to be full of misinformation and untruths.  Whether this is the fault of the media, the police, or both remains unclear.  At the outset, Mr. Ashley was being painted by the DPD and media as a wild, intoxicated, wife beating, loony black man that most likely died of a drug overdose.  The original police statement even said that officers attempted to use a taser, but it did not function properly.  Sonny Jackson, DPD spokesman, then changed the story by stating, Mr. Ashley was hit with a “contact tasing” as opposed to being struck by Taser barbs.  “A contact tasing is where you basically put the taser against the skin — and it only affects that area.”

Since the original reports, it has become apparent that Mr. Ashley was not beating on his wife, nor was he experiencing a drug induced psychotic episode, rather he was suffering from a heat stroke.   According to Mr. Ashley’s girlfriend, Alonzo never was threatening her and was just trying to cool down from the heat by putting his head in the water fountain.  What then occurred remains murky, however due to a witness statement acquired by Fox 31 , the story becomes even more horrific.  She says, “There was first one bald police officer and you can see his arm going up and down hitting the guy, they were tasering him…. They tasered him and then said stop resisting.”

Of course the DPD is claiming that Alonzo had super human strength and was swinging on the officers, but I don’t believe a fucking thing they say.  They tried to pull the same shit with Marvin Booker, claiming he had extraordinary strength and kept resisting, but we all know now that that was complete bullshit.

This news is horrendous, but unfortunately not surprising.  We all are well aware of DPD’s murderous ways.  At best, Mr. Ashley was murdered while suffering from a heat stroke, which caused a confused cognitive state, and when attacked by security guards and DPD officers he defended himself.

Our deepest condolences to Mr. Ashley’s loved ones.

Community members, including civil rights activist Alvertis Simmons, the Rev. Patrick Demmer and pastor Reginald Holmes, announced Wednesday that they plan to hold a rally outside the zoo entrance beginning at 2 p.m. Friday.  Be there to demand answers and an end to police brutality

Copwatch Open Meeting 7/27

We are going to be having open meetings and this is the first one.  We would like to get more people involved both in the actual Copwatching but also a lot of the off the streets projects that we have been working on.  It will be on Wed 7/27 at 7 PM at 2727 W. 27 Ave, which is the 27 Social Center.  that a helluvalot of 27s.  Hope to see you there.

The murder of Marvin Booker, 1 1/2 years later, a multi media timeline

Marvin Booker’s murder on July 9, 2010 has proven to be one of the most heinous examples of police brutality in recent memory.  Marvin was a street preacher that met his end in Denver City Jail.  He was murdered by five deputies as he was choked, squashed, and tased to death.

Despite the horror that was inflicted on Marvin and thus upon the entire Denver community, Denver has reacted with rage, love, and resistance.   To keep things in prospective WDCW would like to give a timeline of events that have occurred since the devastating summer day in Denver’s then brand new Jail.  It is important to note that the movement that has come into fruition as a result of Marvin’s murder has been multi pronged and branched to various communities, peoples, and generations throughout Denver.  This is only a sample of events, rallys, protests, and resistance that has occured in the past year.

Immediately following the news of a jail house murder people began to piece together what had occurred

Though there be have been misinformation at this point Denver citizenry began to come together to put the puzzle together and demand justice for Marvin Booker.

Within a weeks time of the murder a rally and vigil was hosted by organizers and The Booker family Lawyers

On August 12, 2010 a Press Conference was held outside the Denver City Jail.  Marvin’ s kin came to Denver on a pilgrimage as an attempt to come to terms with what happened to their beloved,  son, brother, and friend.

August 20, 2010 The Denver County Coroner’s Office ruled Marvin’s death a homicide, yet no charges were filed against the murderers.

August 28, 2010 a march that highlighted various points of police brutality throughout lower downtown Denver is held.  The march concluded at the very site of Marvin’s murder.

September 8, 2010 a Press Conference is held by Marvin’s Father, brother, and attorneys on the steps of the City and County Building.  Boss Hick was in attendance and states that he did not have the power to release the video footage of the murder.

September 28, 2010, DA Mitch Morrissey determines that no criminal charges will be issued against the murderers of Marvin.

September 29, 2010, Shorter AME Church and Pastor Tyler hold a rally at their church to protest Morrissey’s decision to not press charges.

October 1, 2010 The names of Marvin’s murderers are released: Sgt. Carrie Rodriguez and deputies James Grimes, Faun Gomez, Kenneth Robinette and Kyle Sharp.  It is discovered that Faun Gomez was also a key player in the death of Emily Rice just years prior.

October 22, 2010, the International day against police brutality, a march demanding justice for Marvin is lef through the streets of downtown.

January 29, 2011, We ain’t takin this no mo’ march occurs zig zagging through Denver’s streets

February 24, 2011, a press conference is held outside the Denver County Court house by Marvin’s family and attorneys to announce their filing of a lawsuit against the City and County of Denver, and the deputies involved

February 26, 2011 a panel is held to discuss police brutality and strategize against police brutality

March 3, 2011, Manager of Safety Mary Malatesta resigns marking the 4th Manager of Safety in less than a year

May 6, 2011, the March Against Police Terror occurs.  It is at this march that Amelia Nichol is arrested.

May 9, 2011, City Officials finally release the video of Marvin’s murder.  They reiterate that none of the deputies will be charged criminally and that they did not violate any policies or procedures.

May 9, 2011, An adhoc rally meets at the Denver City Jail.

May 10, 2011, A press Conference is held by Marvin’s family and attorney’s to discuss the video release.

May 26, 2011, Trumped up charges are released against Amelia Nicol, which include attempted murder, inciting a riot, and arson.

June 8, 2011, A rally is held outside Morrissey’s office demanding the release of Amelia Nichol

June 27, 2011, Felony charges against Amelia Nichol are dropped

July 9, 2011 March for the 1 year anniversary of the Murder of Marvin Booker occurs.

October 22, 2011 International Day Against Police Brutality

Rest assured we will not stop.  The resistance will continue.  RIP Marvin Booker and all other victims to police brutality.

Year Anniversary of the Murder of Marvin Booker 7/9/11 March Communique

Queen City Antifa has released a statement concerning the March on 7/9/11 commemorating the year anniversary of the murder of Marvin Booker:

Fists and hearts burn in the streets as Denver marks the one year anniversary of the murder of Marvin Booker.

Saturday, July 9^th marked the year anniversary of the murder of Marvin Booker, a homeless street preacher booked on minor charges and killed by Denver Sheriff’s Deputies for attempting to retrieve his shoes. A fifth round of demonstrations was called for by West Denver CopWatch to mark the anniversary amidst a backdrop of local repression against the burgeoning anti-police movement.

In May, a demonstration ended with the flashing and banging of a firework during the rowdy crowd’s dispersal. Police arrested a twenty year old woman and charged her with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and a slew of other charges. The Denver Anarchist Black Cross, a revolutionary legal support organization operating in the area for a few years now, mobilized court support and other actions demanding her release without charges. The attempted murder charges and most others were dropped, but she is still fighting felony possession of an explosive and misdemeanor resisting arrest charges.

With this in mind, more than 150  demonstrators converged around the Denver skate park shortly before noon on the 9^th. Like many recent mobilizations against the police, cops were waiting to flank participants and keep a tight reign on the event. An officer approaching the crowd was rebuked by several people when he condescendingly offered “help.” After a short speech by a member of West Denver CopWatch, the march took Little Raven St. to make its way to the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center where Booker was killed. Ideally, the march was to swell a rally held by the ACLU and Marvin Booker’s family set to take place once the demonstration arrived.

Fleets of police on bicycles as well as two squad cars and two police vans trailed the march from its onset. Loudly chanting slogans that have quickly become standards for the roaming crowds confronting cops over the last year, some officers reacted to “Oink, oink, bang, bang, every day’s the same old thing” with smiles while others were visibly upset by “from Denver to Greece, fuck the police!” and spirited cries of Marvin Booker’s name.

As has been the precedent for the last three demonstrations, protesters hung stickers of Marvin’s likeness and gave out fliers to passerby. Approaching a pedestrian bridge that leads to the commercial center of the city and the arena of many other confrontations with law enforcement, cops were en masse picking up their bikes and hustling up the stairs. Smart people in the crowd took advantage of this and rerouted the march towards 15^th Street, while the demonstration loudly began laughing at the police waiting at the top of the bridge.

15^th Street was quickly shut down by the crowd, who used an overpass to amplify chants, drums and general shouts and taunts towards the police in tow. Stickers hit construction equipment and a few people began throwing construction barrels into the road to block police. Hanging a left towards the 1100 block of 16^th, the march made its way towards the gawking shoppers on the 16^th Street Mall, the commercial center of downtown Denver. Greeted with raised fists and applause towards protesters, many police officers were looking overheated and demoralized.

As the demonstration approached Lawrence St., two cops jumped off of their bikes and tackled a demonstrator to the ground after chasing him through the crowd. A scuffle broke out as folks from the march moved in to attempt to unarrest the comrade. Shoving, punching, and pushing erupted as police hurried to defend the officers making the arrest.

More police quickly arrived to back them up and seal off the irate protesters responding to the arrest. Another scuffle broke out, and shortly thereafter, black clad march participants linked arms and began berating the cops. Screams and challenges to fistfights met the police, as did debris thrown towards the line of police. One cop was observed taking his gun (not taser) out of its holster and the crowd grew visibly angrier, chanting “let him go!” and screaming about the officer with a gun. As the police led the arrested protester back to the van in handcuffs, the police attempted to regroup themselves as a tactical decision was made by he crowd to keep marching.

Within minutes of the initial confrontation a sticker was plastered on the windshield of an unoccupied police motorcycle and the police attempted to grab a demonstrator they accused of the action. March participants rushed to the defense of the comrade. Another masked demonstrator wrapped their arms around the protester and police surrounded the duo. Fistfights and shoving matches between officers and other demonstrators broke out, and in the end of the fracas two more protesters were in handcuffs and a few police were observed limping and wiping blood from their lips. Many police were wielding pepperspray and tasers, ready to attempt to subdue the scuffling protesters, though these weapons were not used.

After the two arrestees were led to the van, the march continued up 16^th Street. After realizing that the police have criminalized the act of putting up stickers to justify a violent crackdown on the march, aggressive protesters looking to defy the arrests and the authority of the police continued slapping the stickers on every surface that was available. Several hundred fliers were passed out, and dozens of stickers littered the downtown area.

The march weaved its way to the jail, as Marvin Booker’s name echoed off the walls of the jail. The marching crowd was warmly welcomed by the waiting rally participants.  Several speeches were made and police brutality victim Alex Landau, who was just awarded more than $700,000 in settlement money, performed an anti-police rap to the crowd. Many participants at the rally were in the streets to march and confront the cops and the rally is pegged at up to 300 people by media estimates.

Members of Marvin Booker’s family spoke and red, black, and green balloons were released into the air to commemorate the anniversary. The family also contributed to the growing bail fund for the recently arrested protesters, as did several members of the ACLU.

Thanks to the legal support infrastructure of the Denver Anarchist Black Cross, it was learned that the first person arrested was a minor and released with a citation for defacing property with a sticker. The two other arrestees spent eight hours in custody before nearly $700 was raised for their release. Both were released before the night was over. Both face defacement of private or public property and will be arraigned on August 9^th. Court support is being organized by DABC. For legal updates, please check denverabc.wordpress.com. Updates on these three arrests and Amelia Nicol’s case, will be posted as they become available.

Once again, and not surprisingly, the media was mute on this action. Other than the local entertainment weekly Westword, which took pictures and featured a small write up, a CBS affiliate that had a small report on the rally, and the Colorado Independent, which reported on the rally, media blacked this demonstration out just as they have the last three marches.

The local anti-police movement is undeterred by the arrests of its comrades and the heavy handed tactics of the police. Despite the three arrests, the movement has shown that it can defend itself in the streets and in the courtroom. There would have been many more arrests if the crowd hadn’t fought back the way it did, and the arrests that were made did not come easy to the police. With the city’s case closed on Marvin Booker’s death, the slogan has moved from “Justice for Marvin Booker” to “Avenge Marvin Booker.” The movement in Denver is making good on the promise of ‘No Justice, No Peace,’ and it is unlikely that repression will stop these demonstrations or similar anti-police activity.

Tonite!!!!!!!!!!!Support Local, Conscious, Hip Hop, and WDCW

Our main man Mane Rok and DeeJay Tense has just released their newest track entitled ” This One’s (Strange Powers Remix)” off their album “The Ugly Truth”

The song addresses the systemic problems of police brutality and venerates Denver victims such as Frank Lobato and Paul Childs.

Mane Rok recognizes the struggle and West Denver Copwatch’s commitment to resisting Police Brutality. He is hosting a song/music video release party in which a portion of proceeds will be generously going to us at WDCW. THANKS SO MUCH. Check out the track, the album and the party.

Where:  Casselmans Bar & Venue Denver 2620 Walnut St Denver, CO

When: Saturday, July 16 · 8:30pm – 11:30pm

More Details here

Please come out and support Local Conscious Hip Hop and resistance to Police Brutality all at once

A Series of Attacks on the 1984-ing of Our Streets (Pt. 3): Fuck the Colfax Business Improvement District (CBID)

FUCK CBID: Protect our communities

  The Colorado Business Improvement District (CBID), although sounding and acting almost solely like a for-profit corporation, is actually funded by property taxes in the city of Denver, the members of the board (mostly investors and business owners) are “appointed by the Mayor of Denver and approved by Denver City Council” (CBID Site). Although referred to as ‘quasi-governmental’ on the CBID website, they are funded publicly and its members are appointed by the government, making it a government entity. CBID’s goals, as stated on their website are to “promote economic vitality, implement a clean and safe street program and advocate on behalf of area businesses among public and private partners” (CBID Site).

            Although CBID claims to want to implement a ‘clean and safe street program’, what they are clearly concerned with is not the cleanliness and safety of the community members on East Colfax, but instead ‘on behalf of area businesses’. In fact instead of donating towards cleaning projects or any ‘safety’ measures, CBID has donated $250,000 to installing at least 12 more HALO cameras on East Colfax. Apparently their idea of safety is contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the biggest gang in Denver. Although these HALO cameras MAY deter some vandalism on their corporate storefronts, they are clearly not meant for the safety of East Colfax’s residents, but instead their corporate properties and investments.

 Although there is no definitive proof of whether these HALO cameras will actually deter crime or not; these cameras have certainly not ensured the safety of community members surrounding them. One example in which the HALO cameras provided the exact opposite of safety for a community member in Denver, would be the brutal beating of Michael DeHerrera. DeHerrera was brutalized by the DPD for simply talking on his cell phone, while the HALO camera magically panned away. This HALO camera specifically panned away from an innocent civilian being brutally beaten by a Denver pig; not only were the cameras most definitely not keeping DeHerrera safe, but they were specifically directed away. The HALO camera video can be found HERE. HALO cameras do not ensure the automatic safety of any Denver resident, nor have they been proven to prevent or deter crime. In all actuality, CBID is not at all concerned with the safety of its current residents.

In fact, when taking a much closer look at CBID’s agenda, or their “strategic plan” we see that their main concern is not for keeping the current residents on East Colfax safe, but actually removing them, making them feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods, forcing them out. This “strategic plan” is basically a system of gentrification, to force out the persons living on East Colfax in order to build high rise developments, and expensive apartments with businesses on the bottom. They give examples like Chamberlain Heights and Baker Commons as their model for the gentrification processes; these processes clearly include the addition of HALO cameras in order to not only force the existing community out, but ensure their corporate investors feel safe when moving in. The addition of these HALO Cameras to East Colfax are one facet of an overall strategy of gentrification on East Colfax, largely led and funded by CBID, a governmental organization; funded by taxes and appointed by the Mayor himself.

 But CBID and their corporate backers itching to get their hands on the prime realty on East Colfax aren’t finished yet; in the meeting notes from their meeting on April 12, 2011, they resolved to sign a contract to add more HALO cameras to the area. These cameras are clearly a gross misuse of power by CBID, in an extremely disgusting attempt at gentrifying our own communities.

Resources:

 http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15236766

http://www.examiner.com/top-news-in-denver/denver-police-oversee-installation-of-halo-cameras-on-colfax

http://www.lacp.org/2010-Articles-Main/060710-DenversSurveillanceSystemDrawsPraiseConcerns.htm

 CBID Website: http://colfaxave.com/home/

 CBID East Colfax Plan: http://colfaxave.com/cp/data/upload/files/EColfaxSmallAreaPlan.pdf