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Son's beating by Denver police stuns Pueblo sheriff's deputy
The Denver Post ^ | August 18, 2010 | Christopher N. Osher

Posted on 08/18/2010 10:10:45 AM PDT by Fundamentally Fair

For 22 years, Anthony DeHerrera wore his law-enforcement uniform with pride.

The last thing the Pueblo sheriff's deputy ever thought he would have to do is spend a year and a half seeking justice on behalf of his son who was beaten by Denver Police officers.

He wants them to pay for what the videotape of their actions shows.

"If they were Joe Q citizens, they would be in jail," he says.

He says that what drives him are the memories of the sounds that came over the cell phone his son held that night

SNIP

A video was taken on the police department's own High Activity Location Observation surveillance system, released publicly last week, captures Michael as he made a telephone call to his father at 12:14 a.m. that night.

Then the video shows Sparks approaching Michael, tackling him to the ground and then repeatedly beating him with a department-issued sap, a piece of metal wrapped in leather. The officer then roughly picks him up and puts him in the back of a squad car, slamming the door on his shin.

But the night of the telephone call, the father knew none of this. He didn't even know where to go to check on his son. He only had his law-enforcement instincts and the knowledge that his son was in deep trouble.

(Excerpt) Read more at denverpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: donutwatch; leo; pueblo
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To: bert

Leather covered? Is that a lead weight in the head of it?

Is Black Jack what you grandfather called it, do you know?

There’s bosun’s stick design that is similar, with monkeyfist knots at either end, a bit of lead in each knot. The handle is just coiled rope. Maybe a topping layer of light string wrapped all over. The sticks are usually finished with a thick maritime shellac/varnish.


61 posted on 08/18/2010 11:44:28 AM PDT by bvw
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To: Fundamentally Fair

These cops need to be fired and prosecuted.


62 posted on 08/18/2010 11:53:40 AM PDT by microgood
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

I would have to agree with that. Look, if the kid is on the phone or not, what difference does it make?

If you can defend your actions (and you damn well must), what is the problem with the phone or a person that is not making any physical or verbal form of attack.

The kid is talking on the phone, not addressing the officers. Surely they realize folks are going to criticize them on occasion. They can’t deal with that? Good grief.


63 posted on 08/18/2010 11:54:30 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: Fundamentally Fair
Michael's 4-year-old niece still doesn't understand. Police officers are the good guys, she says, searching for an explanation from the grandfather.

This is a reality check. Cops are not your friends and way too many of them are dishonest and corrupt.

64 posted on 08/18/2010 12:03:45 PM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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To: absalom01

IMO, it always depended on the circumstances.

You never get close to an officer that is involved in something like this as if you are going to intervene.

If the officer is doing something you think is wrong, and you are at a reasoned safe distance, I don’t see a problem with voicing a plea to stick to reasonable force.

If you’re up on the sidewalk and you are not insighting the crowd to rush the officers or some such, it would seem that you are within your rights to voice concerns.

You don’t say, “Hey you assholes, quit screwing with this guy.” You should be able to say, “Officers, this is generally a good person, please take it easy.”

The behavior of the first suspect may have set the officers off. I don’t know that. The actions of that one officer taking down the son with the phone was unfortunate, because ultimately that officer is going to lose his job. I do think he’ll do prison time for it too.

This was assault under color of authority. It doesn’t sit well with most sane people.


65 posted on 08/18/2010 12:05:24 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: driftdiver

I didn’t back the officers. What gave you the idea I was?

Look around here and let me know where I said these officers were in the right.


66 posted on 08/18/2010 12:08:34 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: DoughtyOne

I would guess they figured he was recording them.??? They wanted to get the phone. Really shameful.


67 posted on 08/18/2010 12:12:53 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Chet 99

Ping to post #56

See you when you get back from your bunk.


68 posted on 08/18/2010 12:24:33 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (The success of Darwinism was accompanied by a decline in scientific integrity. - Dr. Wm R. Thompson)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Is that what they call the beds in the ward?


69 posted on 08/18/2010 12:28:55 PM PDT by kanawa
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To: All

The bright spot in all this is that the kid was the son of a LEO. Nice to see one of their own get the tar beat out of them so they can see how it feels on the other side of the beating.

I find it extremely hypocritical that one LEO sued another for brutality when he is one of them! I am sure he felt conflicted, on the one hand he is supposed to stand up for his fellow officer, but on the other hand, his son got a little road rash.

It takes a lot of balls to sue one of your own and I am sure that if the guy who issued the beating has any family, the favor will be returned in spades by the Pueblo Sheriff’s Department. It would not surprise me to read about the murder/suicide of this cop and his family.


70 posted on 08/18/2010 12:39:55 PM PDT by texan75010
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To: bvw
......Leather covered? Is that a lead weight in the head of it?.....

Yes. As far as I know that's what he called it. A black jack

There are two more. One is a leather belt with a large overhand knot tied in it containing some kind of metal. I suspect it was taken from someone he brought back to jail.

The third is a very highly polished and used leather covered wood implement with lead inside the end. I think it was a billy but is much shorter than what I think of as a night stick. It was for providing a solid lick that would encourage submission. It was well used by someone. The leather is polished with use and the end has worn through exposing the wood/lead inside. I suspect a Deputy gave it to him after it had been in daily use for a long while during the 30's/40's.

It is about 10" long and of commercial mqnufacture. It is somewhat like the image below


71 posted on 08/18/2010 1:09:48 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Greetings Jacques. The revolution is coming)
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To: bert

Thanks for the info. My grandfather was a court baliff, he had some things like these, but I hardly remember, that was when I was under seven or so. That little club looks familiar.


72 posted on 08/18/2010 1:22:09 PM PDT by bvw
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To: Wolfie

How is the kid a “perp”? He was making a cell phone call (to a LEO, at that). His total alleged crime was being drunk. But from the video he isn’t being disorderly, he’s standing on the curb, he’s not interfering with the cop arresting his buddy. (Who’s crime was going in the wrong bathroom)...

The kids not a “perp” he’s a citizen. The cops, on the other hand are the very definition of Jack Booted Thugs (JBTs).


73 posted on 08/18/2010 1:39:15 PM PDT by Jack Black ( Whatever is left of American patriotism is now identical with counter-revolution.)
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To: bert
That's probably a WWI trench weapon called a "trench club".

Trench club top center.

74 posted on 08/18/2010 1:40:02 PM PDT by bvw
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To: bert

The trench club was used to infiltrate enemy trenches and kill quickly and quietly. It’s a one-hit kill weapon. Not something for normal police work.


75 posted on 08/18/2010 1:42:37 PM PDT by bvw
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To: madison10
Two things:

There is no question that he is easily assumedy able as a Hispanic. The question is how do you know that was the reason for the beat down.

76 posted on 08/18/2010 1:48:34 PM PDT by Fundamentally Fair (Bush: Mission Accomplished. Obama: Commission Accomplished.)
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To: Jack Black

I’m just using the cop lingo. These beatings are nothing new, and usually met with a big huzzah if the victim is the right kind. They picked the wrong kind this time.


77 posted on 08/18/2010 4:21:23 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Wolfie; bvw; Dr. Bogus Pachysandra; driftdiver; Jack Black; texan75010; bert; kanawa; ...
Another “isolated incident” from Denver:   City responds to LoDo police beating video[Colorado] 
78 posted on 08/19/2010 11:26:32 AM PDT by Fundamentally Fair (Bush: Mission Accomplished. Obama: Commission Accomplished.)
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To: Fundamentally Fair

Thanks for the pingaling.


79 posted on 08/19/2010 11:29:10 AM PDT by goseminoles
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To: Fundamentally Fair

The Denver PD is not looking too good right now. That’s for sure.

It’s beginning to look like a good ole-boy wink and a nod set em straight policy was in effect there.

Sadly, this is what people that don’t like the police will think of to justify their dislikes.

Good cops then get tarnished because of the idiots among them.

Good cops are just as angry about this as anyone else, perhaps more. They will have to deal with the backlash to this, not just the guilty parties.

When cops go bad, I like to see a clear message sent, that it won’t be tolerated.

In these two cases, it appears to me that message needs to be send loud and clear.


80 posted on 08/19/2010 11:39:49 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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