George Kochaniec Jr. © News Denver district attorney candidates, from left, Mitch Morrissey, Beth McCann and John Walsh, all Democrats, voiced opinions on investigating police shootings at a Tuesday meeting of the City Club of Denver.

Two see grand juries as effective, third favors open review

By Peggy Lowe, Rocky Mountain News
May 26, 2004

The three candidates for Denver district attorney parted ways Tuesday on how controversial police shootings should be investigated in the future.

On the day the city proposed a settlement of its claim with the family of Paul Childs, who was shot and killed by a Denver Police officer last July, two hopefuls said they believe grand juries are effective tools for "use of force" investigations.

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Mitch Morrissey, a 20-year Denver prosecutor, said he favors an open grand jury system, with the evidence revealed for the public. But he went further, saying officer training and non-lethal weapons are the most effective tools in preventing the problem.

"I believe we can reform the Denver Police Department and cut down on those shootings," Morrissey said.

Morrissey, Beth McCann and John Walsh made the obligatory stop Tuesday at the City Club of Denver's meeting at the Brown Palace.

Since all three are Democrats, the DA's race will effectively be decided in the Aug. 10 primary.

McCann won the Denver assembly, followed by Walsh. Morrissey, who is petitioning to get on the ballot, has been endorsed by Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, who is facing term limits.

Morrissey said he also advocates an "after-care" crisis intervention program. Cops are trained to recognize a potential attacker like 15-year-old Childs as mentally disabled, to calm the situation through a de-escalation process and then to get the troubled person to a hospital or mental health center.

McCann, a former Denver prosecutor and public safety administrator who works in the attorney general's office, said citizen grand juries should investigate questionable shootings.

"I believe it's important to let you, the citizens, have input into whether a police officer committed a crime," McCann said.

But Walsh, a former federal attorney now in private practice, said grand juries aren't effective because they operate in secret.

Walsh suggested an "open and completely transparent" system that calls for an immediate investigation, with witnesses interviewed and videotaped.

Then, an independent police monitoring office, staffed by law enforcement experts with no ties to Denver, would watch the investigation and issue a report to the public.

"It would keep the dynamic in the investigation completely on target," Walsh said.

Morrissey also said he found it "upsetting" that the Colorado legislature last year passed broad laws that gut Denver's gun ordinances on assault weapons and remove the city's ability to set standards for concealed-weapons permits.

Now, residents can drive around with assault rifles in their cars and law enforcement can do nothing about it, he said.

"I find that offensive and the legislature did that," Morrissey said.

Morrissey said he would work to place an initiative on the ballot to undo the laws and again put restrictions in place that people support.

Meet the candidates

• Beth McCann

Age: 55

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Deputy in charge of the litigation section of the Colorado Attorney General's Office

• Mitch Morrissey

Age: 46

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Chief deputy district attorney in charge of Division 13 of the Denver District Court and special assistant U.S. attorney

• John Walsh

Age: 42

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Attorney; currently a partner at Hill & Robbins

lowep@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5482

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