Five Denver, Colorado sheriff’s deputies won’t be disciplined for their involvement in the death of a street preacher at Denver’s jail, even though the coroner ruled it a homicide.
Safety Manager Charles Garcia says an investigation concluded that the deputies didn’t violate the department’s use-of-force policy or any other department rules related to use of force in the death of 56-year-old Marvin Booker.
“After a thorough review of the investigation and after considering the recommendations of the city’s Independent Monitor, this office concludes that the deputies did not violate the department’s use-of-force policies or any other department rules related to use of force,” Garcia said. “Therefore, no disciplinary sanctions will be ordered.”
There are claims from the family of Booker that sheriff’s officials covered up details of his death on July 9, 2010.
On Monday, police released a 40-page report regarding Booker’s death and the surveillance video of the incident. Booker died after deputies tried to subdue him by getting on top of him, placing him in a “sleeper” hold and shocking him with a stun gun.
An attorney for the family says the 5-foot-5, 135-pound Booker had 1,000 pounds of law enforcement on top of him.
The deputies believe Booker was alive when they put him in a holding cell, but cannot say for certain.







