Pubdate: Mon, 21 Feb 2000
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2000 The Denver Post
Contact:  1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202
Fax: (303) 820.1502
Website: http://www.denverpost.com/
Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm
Author: Cameron Graham
Bookmark: MAP's link to Colorado articles is: http://www.mapinc.org/states/co

THOMAS MUST GO

Dave Thomas has to go. Let's face it: Ismael Mena, an innocent man, was
murdered in his own home by the Denver police. Let's not mince words - it
wasn't an "honest mistake."

It was murder. A man lost his life in the most senseless way, and the best
Mr. Thomas can come up with is a paltry charge of perjury against some fall
guy, the low man on the totem pole. Perjury? Why not just give us all the
one-finger salute, Mr. Thomas, if you're trying to tell the public
something?

The least charge that should have been considered is manslaughter. But if
there was deliberate perjury involved in obtaining the noknock warrant,
that might indicate premedi tation, and a more serious degree of murder.
Charging one Denver cop with perjury for the Ismael Mena murder is like
charging a serial rapist with indecent exposure. Protecting your cozy
relationship with Bill Ritter isn't worth becoming an accessory to murder,
Mr. Thomas, even if Ritter does owe you one huge whitewash sometime in the
future now.

CAMERON GRAHAM
Arvada
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MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst