Denver Spy Files: What's in the depositions
December 18, 2002
Key findings taken from 11 depositions made as part of the ACLU's federal lawsuit against Denver over the spy files:
Police policy: Police had a policy on intelligence gathering prior to March 2002, but detectives in the intelligence bureau were unaware of the guidelines. A deputy chief said the policy was never implemented.
Subjects of files: Some of the groups and individuals who are the subject of spy files include the Chiapas Coalition, the American Indian Movement, End the Politics of Cruelty, Justice for Meρa and nearly 100 Denver Public Schools students.
Review panel: The three-judge panel appointed by Mayor Wellington Webb to review the spy files was barred by City Attorney Wally Wortham from seeing paper files, surveillance photos or videotapes. They were allowed to see the computer database.
Classifications: A longtime secretary in the intelligence bureau, Kathleen Miklich, was allowed to classify some groups as "criminal extremist."
Multiple classifications: In the files, the same group could be classified as criminal extremist or just as protesters. Thus, some were labeled "biker gang," others "motorcycle group."
Federal standards: The department didn't believe it needed to comply with federal standards on intelligence gathering because it didn't receive federal funds.
| FAIR USE NOTICE |
|
This site contains
copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically
authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in
our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human
rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes. For more
information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond
'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. |