Littleton 5-16-13
May 16, 2013
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 124, Issue 16
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlittletonnews.com
An officer’s end of watch Suspect goes free on bond By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com
of mourners as law-enforcement officers stood vigil over Denner’s casket, draped in the American flag, and most of the Littleton Police Department looked on. Officer Krista Bunten worked closely with Denner in the detective unit, where he specialized in catching Internet predators. The looming 6-foot-7 officer would pose as a young teen, trying to lure them in. “He was a police officer without a mean bone in his body,” said Bunten. She cried as she told his wife, Kristin, and young children, Kaidin and Kaitlin, how much he loved them. Enley said the most important
The man charged with causing Littleton Police Officer Kevin Denner’s death in a traffic collision is free on $50,000 bond. An angry Magistrate Frank Moschetti on May 10 ordered Jemal Dawed to stay within 20 miles of the metro area, be tracked by GPS and submit to monitored sobriety. However, he declined the prosecution’s request to increase Dawed’s bond from $50,000 to $150,000. Dawed is charged with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol, careless driving and failure to yield the right of way. He was not injured in the crash. Moschetti was clearly annoyed at Dawed’s attorney, Wazir-Ali Muhammad Al-Haqq, after the lawyer was more than an hour late for the May 10 bond hearing. Al-Haqq said he had locked his keys in his running car and needed help from the fire department to get back in. Al-Haqq proceeded to argue his case, saying Dawed has no intentions of skipping bail and no criminal history. He accused the prosecution of insinuating Dawed might leave the country just because he’s from Africa, where his par- Dawed ents still live. He appeared in court with an interpreter who speaks Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. “Before you start blaspheming opposing counsel, you should be on time and listen to their argument,” Moschetti said, loudly and pointedly. What prosecutor Brittany Martin did say was that a $50,000 bond was “wholly inadequate” in this case. Her team has discovered seven different addresses for Dawed and was unable to confirm his employment status. “We believe Mr. Dawed is a flight risk,” said Martin. Al-Haqq said Dawed is an American citizen and has worked as a driver at Denver International Airport for six years. He pointed to three rows of people who he said were there to vouch for Dawed. Dawed has surrendered his passport to his bail bondsman, who agreed to turn it over only to the court when he gets his money. “A $100,000 bond would be oppressive and unjustified,” said Al-Haqq. District Attorney George Brauchler is personally prosecuting the case. “I made a commitment when I came into this office that if a police officer is murdered or someone attempts to murder them, or
Denner continues on Page 13
Suspect continues on Page 13
A procession leaves the funeral for Littleton Police Officer Kevin Denner at the end of his May 10 funeral. Services were held at Mission Hills Church. Photos by Jennifer Smith
Officer Kevin Denner, at 6-foot-7, was nicknamed “Big ’n.”
Police motorcycles wait outside the funeral service for Littleton Police Officer Kevin Denner, who died May 6.
By Jennifer Smith
rial service held at Mission Hills Church on the morning of May 10. “Kevin dedicated himself to protecting those who could not protect themselves.” But there was nobody who could protect Denner enough to save him on May 6. Denner, 42, was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when, police believe, the driver of a Toyota failed to yield the right of way. Denner struck the vehicle’s passenger side and died at the scene. Julie Anderson was there, just passing by when it happened. She says Denner died peacefully, with no fear on his face. “We all wanted and waited for a miracle, but none was to come,” she told hundreds
Hundreds turn out at memorial service jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com Gentle Giant. Big ’n. The President of the Computer Nerd Herd. Sully from Monsters Inc. The Kid Whisperer. Those are just a few of the nicknames Littleton Police Officer Kevin Denner was known by, but those who knew him say many more words describe him. Kind. Dedicated. Solid. Beloved. Strong. Gentle. Loyal. Decent. Outstanding. Inspiring. Good. Husband. Father. “As large as his stature was, his personality was even larger,” Interim Chief Gene Enley said through tears during the memoPOSTAL ADDRESS
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