A Denver police officer who is accused of repeatedly slamming the face of a 57-year-old man into the pavement near Coors Field has been formally charged with second-degree assault.
According to the charges file Friday, the alleged victim, John Heaney, suffered serious bodily injury at the hands of officer Michael Cordova.
Cordova, 32, was on duty but wearing plain clothes when the altercation took place.
According to Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Cordova is accused of intending to cause serious bodily injury to Heaney by using a deadly weapon — specifically the pavement.
According to court papers filed by Denver police Sgt. Paul Jimenez, members of the department’s vice unit were conducting an undercover ticket-scalping operation near Coors Field on the day of the incident.
Jimenez said that after Heaney rode his bike through a red light at 20th and Blake, Cordova approached Heaney. Police claim that Heaney punched Cordova in the face with a closed fist.
Jimenez said that video footage of the incident shows Cpl. Cordova forcing Heaney’s face into the pavement. As a result, said Jimenez, some of Heaney’s teeth were broken.
The incident was recorded by sports TV producer Greg Prinkey. The tape shows Heaney’s face being slammed into the pavement.
Heaney, who said he didn’t know the undercover officers were policemen, has told 9NEWS that he only flipped Cordova’s Rockies hat off his head.
The television station also interviewed three witnesses who said Heaney did not hit the officers.
Lonn Heymann, Heaney’s lawyer, did not return calls for comment.
During the course of the investigation, Cordova has been working at a desk job. With the filing of charges today, the Denver Police Department suspended Cordova without pay.
Cordova has been released on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Denver County Courtroom T on Jan. 2, to be formally advised of the charges.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
