100 People Protest In Denver Outside U.S. Senator’s Office, Lawmaker Accused Of Refusing To Protect Citizen Rights
100 People Protest In Denver Outside U.S. Senator’s Office, Lawmaker Accused Of Refusing To Protect Citizen Rights
March 20, 2013 | Filed under: News | Posted by: trammell
- By: Sam Thurman/A-JustCause.com
Edited by: Victor Trammell/BlackBlueDog.com
(Denver, Colorado)-On last Friday, 100 protesters marched in front of U.S. Senator Micheal Bennet’s Denver office urging him to reconsider his decision refusing to ask for a Department of Justice (DOJ) inquiry into suspected misconduct in the federal courts in Denver, Colorado. Media vans for CBS News affiliate KCNC in Denver probed the streets around the protesters but did not cover the protest on local television.
The protesters support six men (known as the IRP-6) who they believe were wrongfully convicted. The mens’ cases are under appeal based on Fifth Amendment violation, Speedy Trial violation, and denial of expert witness testimony. The trial transcript from the case that supports the Fifth Amendment violation appellant argument is missing (and presumed destroyed).
Senator Bennet stated that he did not want to intervene in an ongoing case and refused to meet with march organizers. Protesters stated that during the IRP-6 trial, a federal judge and court reporter violated the law. Protesters also argued that even though the case is ongoing, a Congressional Inquiry should be launched. By law, court transcripts must be kept for public review for 10 years. A questionable guilty verdict in the case was reached in October 2011.
A Just Cause, a Colorado-based non-profit organization that helped provide legal representation for the IRP-6 has written letters directly to the Office the DOJ Attorney General, DOJ Inspector General, DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Replies to the letters are still pending. A Just Cause primarily promotes competent legal representation and balanced justice for people who are wrongfully convicted.
Protesters also argued that the federal judge (Christine Arguello) and court reporter in this case (Darlene Martinez) got rid of the transcripts to cover up facts that prove a Fifth Amendment violation. There is definitely evidence in this case, which proves a portion of the original transcript is missing. The alleged actions by members of the federal court system in this case are completely illegal.
Motions requesting the release of the IRP-6 (Gary Walker, Kendrick Barnes, Demetrius Harper, David Banks, Clinton Stewart, and David Zirpolo) pending appeal were denied. The cases for these six men (five of whom are black) are under appeal in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado. To watch video footage of Friday’s protests, click on the following link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t8uvdDBab7o
