Denver Post: Video - Police Camera Pans Away As Officers Beat Suspect
By Christopher N. Osher
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/14/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Denver officials are deeply divided over the proper level of punishment for a police officer who was seen on video tackling and beating a 23-year-old man who was doing nothing but talking on a telephone outside a LoDo nightclub.
The video of Officer Devin Sparks repeatedly hitting Michael DeHerrera of Denver with a piece of metal wrapped in leather, picking him up roughly and slamming a car door on his ankle has prompted Independent Monitor Richard Rosenthal to push for the firing of Sparks and Cpl. Randy Murr.
Rosenthal, who monitors police internal investigations, maintains that Sparks and Murr are unfit for the force because they didn't tell the truth about the April 4, 2009, incident. Rosenthal also believes the use of force by Sparks was excessive. The Denver City Council earlier this year agreed to pay $17,500 to settle a federal lawsuit brought by DeHerrera alleging excessive force.
DeHerrera, in interviews, has described police as beating him unconscious. He said he woke up in a hospital bed, with stitches in his head and a swollen head. He said he later was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.