Community Response to Michael Lee Marshall autopsy report

“We have lost any ability to trust these people, we know that they’re covering this thing up and we demand that the Department of Justice come and investigate the City of Denver.”

An autopsy report was released on Friday January 8th, into the death of Michael Lee Marshall, who died after being restrained at the Denver Jail. He was being held on charges of trespassing and disturbing the peace. His bail was $100.

Marshall choked on his own vomit while being restrained on the floor by six deputies during a psychotic episode, and the coroner has ruled his death was a homicide.

When the autopsy report was released on Friday, a crowd gathered outside the jail to call for an investigation from the Department of Justice and to call for the release of the video from the jail.

Roshan Bliss, an activist with the Black Lives Matter 5280 movement addressed the crowd saying that there is a cover-up in the case of the death of Michael Marshall “our community is sick and tired of this city’s unwillingness to hold law enforcement accountable for the harm that they do to our community members.” Bliss called on the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a formal investigation “We need you here. Department of Justice, we want you to come investigate the Denver Police Department, the Denver Sheriff Department and City and the Office of Safety, because we have no more confidence, we have lost any ability to trust these people, we know that they’re covering this thing up and we demand that the Department of Justice come and investigate the City of Denver so that we can get justice for Michael Marshall, for Marvin Booker.”

Community Response to Michael Lee Marshall autopsy report kgnu

Rev. Terrence Hughes, a pastor at New Covenant Christian Church said that protesters would take action until the video from the jail was released.

“We’re going to call for a hunger strike against the city until that video is released. It’s time for us to take some steps and I’m asking for those who pray to pray that the mayor…his heart will be loosened to release that video. We’re going to be meeting in front of that City and County building and we’re going to march until that video is released. We’re going to starton Monday, (at 5.30pm) we’re going to meet in front of that City and County Building. We’re going to take action because action is needed. Time for talking is over.”