UPDATE:: Denver Police announced Thursday that they are reopening an investigation into the alleged police beating that occurred in April, 2009. The decision came after Latino and African American groups called for the firing of Ron Perea, Denver's Manager of Public Safety who, upon reviewing the case, refused to fire the officers involved.
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The Denver Police department is facing more criticism this week after a second video surfaced showing police engaged in what some are saying is excessive force.
On Wednesday, KDVR, released footage of an incident that occurred in March on 20th and Little Raven. The video (viewable below) shows police on a routine traffic stop exchanging words, then beating a pedestrian who happened to be walking by.
From KDVR's report:
Hart [Ashford's lawyer] says Mark Ashford was walking his dogs near 20th and Little Raven in LoDo, when he saw police pull over a driver for failing to stop at a stop sign. Ashford told the driver he saw him stop and would be willing to testify in court. Hart says the officer overheard him and "wasn't very happy."
That's when Ashford says the Denver police officers demanded his I.D. and detained him. Ashford tried to take a picture of the officers to document the incident, and a few second later he was on the ground.
An Excessive Force complaint was filed against both officers involved
The story follows developments earlier in the week in the case of a 24-year-old man who was beaten by Denver cops in April, 2009. The beating, which was also caught on camera, appeared in the video to be largely unprovoked.
The video shows Michael DeHerrera talking on his cell phone as police handcuffed and detained his friend, who had just been kicked out of a LoDo nightclub. Police then walked over to DeHerrera, slammed him to the ground and started beating him.
Authorities in the 2009 incident ruled that the officers' actions did not constitute excessive force, although that decision is being disputed. Mayor Hickenlooper recently asked the FBI to investigate and determine whether excessive force was used.
Authorities have declined to comment on the March, 2010 incident because it is still under review by the city.
Watch KDVR's video of the alleged March beating in LoDo:
Watch the video from April, 2009: