Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown said today that he received threatening e-mails from pit bull advocates after he decided against appearing on a cable television show that focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating the dogs.
One e-mail said: ” Your (sic) afraid because of what happened in Arizona and you should be. ALL government officials (sic) should be aware of what comes with the job….The AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT AFRAID OF THEIR GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!”
Brown forwarded the e-mail to a Denver police commander.
“We wont sit back and take it lightly,” said police spokesman Sonny Jackson. “Any threats like that we will take very seriously, especially in this climate.”
Brown has been a vocal opponent of overturning the ordinance that forbids pit bulls in Denver city limits — adopted in 1989 after the Rev. Wilbur Billingsley was attacked by a pit bull that bit him 70 times and left him with two broken legs.
Brown declined a request to appear on the Animal Planet show, Pit Boss, that stars former actor Shorty Rossi who rescues and retrains pit bulls. The show was coming to Denver and wanted to talk with Brown about the ordinance.
“Following the Tucson tragedy, I frankly don’t feel comfortable being a guest,” Brown wrote in an e-mail to the show’s producer, Jason Thomas Scott.
“Every time the issue comes up before City Council we get a slew of e-mails, phone calls and letters, many of which are alarming in their tone. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and trust you understand the potential safety issue appearing on your show could generate.”
Brown received the threatening email after the alternative weekly Westword reported those remarks.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
