Denver’s incoming police chief, Robert White, now head of the Louisville, Ky. Metro Police Department has dealt with some rough streets, if rules that govern a board involved with police discipline are any indication.
Regulations of the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board call for members to swear that they have not relied on cold steel to settle an argument.
Herewith, a portion of the oath: “I do further solemnly swear
that since the adoption of the present Constitution, I being a citizen of this state,
have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this state, nor out of it, nor
have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have
I acted as second in carrying a challenge nor aided or assisted any person thus
offending, so help me God.”

LEADING OFF: There are times when the sports department at the newspaper is jokingly referred to as the “toy” department. And there are times when something that starts in the realm of sports devolves into a news story — almost always in cases that are tragic, sad, disturbing or maddening. So it is with the current scandal at Penn State University, which appears to be growing worse by the day as ever-more shocking assertions become public. Most recent was a report that the number of alleged victims may have more than doubled this week as young men have seen the news reports and stepped forward. The Post’s Dave Krieger writes today about what many people are losing sight of in the arguments about what Joe Paterno knew, when he knew it, and whether he did what he should have: The young men who may have been permanently scarred by a sexual predator.

STRIKE ONE: Traffic crashes unfold in a matter of a few heartbeats, but he devastation can uncoil for lifetimes. A wreck over the weekend killed two teen-agers and left two others with serious, maybe lifelong, injuries. Kevin Simpson reports that the question of whether alcohol was a factor remains an open one — booze was available to the young people, but it’s not yet clear whether they consumed any.

STRIKE TWO: Bruco Eastwood, who opened fire at Deer Creek Middle School, may someday walk free after his sentencing this morning to time served on the only charge on which he was convicted — bringing a gun to school. The Post’s Jessica Fender reports that Eastwood, who was judged insane by three psychiatrists, will be confined to the state mental hospital indefinitely. However, if doctors there conclude he is no longer a danger to himself or others, he could be transitioned back into society.

STRIKE THREE: Last month, authorities in Williamson County, Texas, were forced to release Michael Morton, who had served 25 years in prison for the murder of his wife — a killing he always insisted he did not commit. The stunning reversal came after testing found blood from a known criminal on a bandana near the crime scene — and DNA linked that man to another killing that occurred after Morton went to prison. Wednesday, the case came full circle with the arrest of the new suspect in Christine Morton’s 1986 killing.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to residents this week about bogus telephone calls.

The caller, who uses a “private number,” claims to be from the sheriff’s office or an attorney.

The person taking the call is told that “they’re guilty of check fraud” and that “they owe money,” and if it’s not taken care of “they might be arrested.”

Don’t give out personal information over the phone, unless you’re absolutely sure about who is calling. If you feel a phone call is fraudulent, hang up, and call your local police department.

The LaPlata County Sheriff’s Office issued an unusual press release today about the perils of police work when people have common (or slightly common) names.

The release – titled Complications Of Having The Same Name As Others – follows an announcement Tuesday about a man named Dennis Snodgrass being shot in the chest near Ignacio. Apparently, Dennis Snodgrass of Hesperus got some calls from alarmed friends and family. (Who knew the Snodgrass clan was so prevalant in SW Colorado)? The Hesperus Snodgrass called police to report he “was not shot, felt fine, but was getting a lot of calls asking about his well being.”

The occurrence isn’t so unusual, PIO Dan Bender said in his press release.

“The last time I looked, there were at least three Dan Benders living in the area.” Someone once told me they didn’t know I could play a guitar and sing but they loved my cd. I didn’t know I could play a guitar either.” Bender said. “It was one of the other Dan Benders.”

(I know what you mean. People are always confusing me with that girl who sang “Forever Young” on some version of American Idol.)

The rest of the release touches on the more serious side of the problem – and the advantages of being named Moonbeam Zappa:

Law enforcement officers go to great lengths before arresting someone when a computer check shows a warrant for them. They will confirm first, middle, and last name, as well as date of birth, physical description, home address. They will also request a check to see if the warrant is still valid.

Even after close scrutiny, there can be confusion when names are shared. Bender arrested a man several years ago who matched the first, middle, last name, date of birth, height and weight listed in the warant. The man was finally released when it was determined he did not have the tattoos listed on a previous arrest record for the actual suspect.

Besides a coincidental sharing of a name, Bender said Identity Theft can result in a suspect using the name of another person and the victim of the ID theft being named as a suspect.

“Former boxer George Foreman has several sons who are all named George Foreman and when young, they all shared the same address.” Bender said. “Hopefully none of them got in trouble to cause difficulties for their other brothers”. “I guess there are some advantages to having your parents name you Moonbeam Zappa” Bender said.

Denver Safety Manager Alex Martinez

LEADING OFF: Incoming DPD Chief Robert White may not have moved into his Denver office yet, but that hasn’t stopped some of his soon-to-be employees from poking fun at the new boss. Denver Safety Chief Alex Martinez – new to his post as well – basically told the handful of cops circulating critical e-mails to knock it off and criticized the media for reporting on it, according to The Post’s Tom McGhee. All he is saying, is give chief a chance.

STRIKE ONE: In Denver, admitted puppy stabber Matthew Weatherspoon, 19, got 30 months probation at a sentencing hearing this morning and won’t be allowed to own another animal, Jordan Steffen reports for The Post. And Sara Burnett reports that a Denver judge laid into Secretary of State Scott Gessler during a hearing on campaign finance laws yesterday, telling the elected official that he was on the “wrong side” of the state Constitution.

Greeley Police Department handout

Police continue searching for college student Joel Chairez-Munoz Jr, who faces murder and attempted murder charges in Greeley.

STRIKE TWO: A 31-year-old video game buff got so mad at an Aurora Best Buy for failing to have Call of Duty 3: Modern Warfare in stock that he allegedly threatened to go all Call of Duty on store employees. Now he’s facing misdemeanor charges. And Greeley police continue searching for a guy who could have ripped his moves straight from Grand Theft Auto. Authorities say a UNC sociology student used his blue sedan to run down four pedestrians, the Tribune reports. One was killed. A fifth jumped out of the way.

STRIKE THREE: And if there’s bigger national crime news than Penn State’s Joe Paterno announcing his retirement in the wake of a child sex abuse scandal within his football program, I haven’t heard it. One of Paterno’s longtime assistant coaches allegedly abused eight boys over the course of 15 years. A grad student told Paterno about a locker room sex assault, but Paterno never told police, as The Wall Street Journal reports.

Someone at the Denver Police Department apparently has a lot of time — and some skills in graphic arts.

How else to explain the rendering of “Captain Cannabis” — a superhero-like figure in a green suit surrounded by marijuana plants? And the face of the superhero? None other than newly named Denver Police Chief Robert White, whose appointment has stirred opposition from the local police union just as the City Council begins considering approval of his contract.

The Post’s Jeremy Meyer reported today about unflattering e-mails zipping around the city on the eve of the City Council’s unprecedented opportunity to hold up White’s appointment. Manager of Safety Alex Martinez told the City Council safety committee (which voted this afternoon to send the contract to full council) that he was embarrassed and “appalled” this morning by what was in the Post story, and that he called White to apologize and make sure White still wants to come to Denver. He said he hung up the phone feeling like his “spirit was raised” by White. He said White told him he understands that this “comes with the territory” of being chief.

The Post has also obtained the “Captain Cannabis” rendering, which sources have said is circulating in the department’s e-mail system. The joke is apparently the result of the fact that White, in 1985, had a preliminary positive result on a drug test for a job promotion that later was ruled a false positive. He successfully sued the police union for defamation for releasing the information to the media and unsuccessfully tried to sue the media for reporting it.

Andy Cross/The Denver Post

The state Capitol

Want to eavesdrop on arguments before the state Supreme Court regarding how state legislative lines are drawn?

Who wouldn’t?

Fortunately for the politics-obsessed, the high court is holding their Wednesday proceedings on reapportionment in a room where live streaming is available.

Listen in here.

The show starts at 9 a.m. and runs through 11 a.m. The hearing will be held in the Old Supreme Court Chambers at the state Capitol.

Follow me on Twitter @Oh_Fender.

Peter VanVolkinburg

First off: Do you see this guy with a handcuff hanging off his right arm?

If so, Denver police are looking for Peter VanVolkinburg because they say he took off in the middle of an arrest yesterday and broke an officer’s hand.

About 10 a.m., the officer spottted a vehicle wanted in a hit and run accident near 29th and Downing streets.

The officer pulled the car over and contacted the driver.

While placing handcuffs on VanVolkinburg, he got away and was last seen with the cuff hanging off his right wrist.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Denver police or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.

A week after his first-degree murder conviction, Willie Clark writes to the Denver Post and proclaims his innocence.

Willie Clark, 28, was convicted of carrying out a hit on witness Kalonniann Clark (no relation), who was set to testify in an attempted murder case against his gang boss, Brian Kenneth Hicks.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Willie D. Clark.

The jury foreman said they decided Willie Clark was guilty after listening to a series of slang-filled phone calls between Willie Clark and Hicks that were recorded from the Denver County jail.

But Willie Clark says the jurors got the meaning of the recordings wrong and that prosecutors only used certain clips  to make him sound guilty.

“Why wouldn’t they play the entire calls of those they picked?” Clark wrote in his letter to me. “They continued to stress context and how you have to listen to what’s said before and after the clips they placed in order to comprehend the topics. But they forced the jurors into a bad situation and made them judge me on those clips. How is that fair?”

Willie Clark intends to appeal his conviction to the Colorado Court of Appeals. He is serving life plus 420 years for the murder and another life sentence plus 1,152 years for the murder of Denver Broncos player Darrent Williams.

“(The prosecutor) stated that I am incapable of showing remorse which is inaccurate,” Willie Clark wrote. “I had no involvement so I have nothing to be remorseful about.”

And finally, how many of you predicted that Dr. Conrad Murray would be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the death of Michael Jackson?

I was shocked when the judge ordered Murray into custody without bail pending his sentencing hearing because Murray had been out of custody for the entire trial.

The judge called Murray a public safety risk and cited the nature of the case as a reason to throw him in the slammer.

Murray faces up to four years in prison at his Nov. 29 sentencing, but could also get probation. What do you think will happen?

Former Denver sheriff’s deputy Brennon Lonergan, 36, received a decade of highly supervised sex offender probation this morning in Denver District Court in connection with an attempted sex assault on a teenage relative.

Lonergan, 36, pleaded guilty to attempted sex assault on a child Aug. 8. The Class 5 felony means he will have to register as a sex offender, but will not serve an indeterminate sentence should he fail at probation and be sent to prison.

His public defender, Julia Stancil, said as a sex offender and a former member of law enforcement, Lonergan has extra incentive to do well on probation.

“He believes he will be killed in prison,” said Stancil.

Read more…

Greeley police

Marcel Preece, arrested by Greeley police on weapons charges

LEADING OFF: You may remember the Los Angeles times story about the guy who was busted after he tattooed an entire crime scene across his chest – complete with a Mr. Peanut (some gang members use the word “peanut” as a rip on rival gang members). Marcel Preece, arrested recently in Greeley, doesn’t come close to that elaborate artistry. But let’s just say the decision to put a distinctive tattoo all across his face may make (a) hiding out and (b) any future line-ups a little more difficult. (See more mugshots in our Media Center).

STRIKE ONE: An 18-year-old student from Lakewood High School may have been driving as fast as 60 mph early Sunday when he approached a sudden, sharp curve along Oak Street in Wheat Ridge, sending the vehicle airborne and killing the teen and his female companion, Joey Bunch wrote today. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected as factors in the crash.

STRIKE TWO: Brenda Stewart, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges related to a high-priced escort business, is in court today for sentencing on tax evasion charges. Kevin Vaughan is there and should have an update later this morning.

STRIKE THREE: All day Friday the TV stations were promising a verdict in Dr. Conrad Murray’s trial was “imminent” or “coming at any moment.” Turns out they had no idea what they were talking about. As CNN reports this morning, the jury is back today for more deliberations. Meanwhile Michael Jackson’s fans are planning a candlelight vigil.