DENVER - A jury of three men and three women reached a verdict on the fate of a Denver Police officer who was videotaped slamming a man's head into the ground during an arrest outside of Coors Field last year on the Opening Day of the Colorado Rockies.
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Cpl. Michael Cordova was found not guilty of the third-degree misdemeanor. Cordova, who was hired in 2001, will be able to continue working in law enforcement.
John Heaney, who was riding his bike past Coors Field on the way to see his mother in a nearby hospice, claims the under officers taunted and challenged him. Not knowing they were cops, Heaney says he tipped off Cordova's hat. After that, the 58-year-old man claims the officers pulled him off his bike, kicked, punched and beat him.
When he was lying on his stomach about to be handcuffed, video shows Cordova pulling Heaney's head up with his ponytail, then slamming his face into the ground.
The arrest was caught on videotape by a local sports production crew.
The jury began deliberating around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, after hearing closing arguments. Cpl. Cordova did not take the stand in his own defense.
"We feel like we established enough facts to prove our case," Cordova's defense attorney Marc Colin said.
During the trial, Colin argued to jurors that the sound on the videotape and that witnesses say they heard was not the sound of Heaney's two front teeth breaking on the cement, but rather it was the sound of a baseball hitting a bat during batting practice outside of Coors Field.
The defense also called expert witnesses who said it looked like Heaney was resisting arrest on the videotape, and as a result, Cordova and other police officers were legally authorized to use force to take Heaney into custody.
"Cordova acted within the duties of a police officer and within the scope of his training," Colin told jurors.
The defense attorney also raised questions about the sports TV crew not providing the raw footage of the arrest immediately to the police department. The crew provided an exact copy first and the raw video after they were subpoenaed.
"What were the witnesses trying to hide?" Colin said to the jury.
In closing arguments Tuesday morning, Denver Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Jackson argued that Cordova used excessive use-of-force during the arrest. He also pointed out that Cordova did not admit in other court testimony that he had slammed Heaney's face in the ground.
Jackson also argued the defense paid witnesses to testify against Heaney.
"The defense is saying you can't believe the sound or your eyes and that you can't believe what the witnesses told you," Jackson said as he simultaneously covered his ears, eyes and mouth with his hands. "Use your common sense and find him guilty."
Cordova has been working a desk job at the police department during the trial, according to Colin.
Heaney is still pursing a civil case against the police department, seeking damages for his injuries that he says were caused during the arrest.
Taken from www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?... Email me at RedandBlack303@gmail.com if you think something should be done!!! I sure do. Peace, Love, Solidarity
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Comments
pigs
September 25, 2009 by Anonymous, 8 weeks 2 days ago
Comment id: 4037
this is why we need vigalantes. to take care of these corrupt pigs when the state or pig department they work for refuses to control these roided up ass hole. i would hope that pig cordova is now a marked man in denver, deserving of a harsh beat down.
If you like porn, not sure
September 29, 2009 by Anonymous, 7 weeks 5 days ago
Comment id: 4053
Nelson Boles
October 1, 2009 by Anonymous, 7 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 4073
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