Video, photos: Four Occupy Denver protesters arrested for robbery
Update: 3:47 p.m.: At this morning's court date, the bond rates for all five of those arrested near Civic Center Park last night increased, as did the crimes they are associated with. At the moment, all five are currently under investigation for second-degree assault and aggravated robbery. Caryn Sodaro, James Stacey and Michael Seymour face bonds that are now $75,000, while those of Daniel Newman and Kenny White are now at $50,000. The original post is below.
Video, photos below.
Update, 9:58 a.m.: Last night, as we report in detail below, four Occupy Denver protesters and one homeless man were arrested for suspicion of robbery.
Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson says the investigation began at approximately 7:47 p.m., when three protesters are alleged to have knocked down a skateboarder and taken his board on the 1500 block of Broadway.
During the period that ensued, Jackson says, the man was assaulted and incurred "serious bodily injury" on his face.
Officers were notified of the event when the man broke away and asked an RTD officer nearby to call the police. He then assisted in identifying his alleged attackers. It is currently unknown whether the man is still in the hospital.
Later, police officers were able to recover the man's skateboard inside Civic Center Park, which led to additional arrests. Because of the assault involved in the case, any of the five investigations might lead to aggravated robbery charges, though four of the individuals in question currently face only plain robbery. The decision about charging is up to the Denver District Attorney's office, Jackson says.
Below is the brief initial report:
Occupy Denver Robbery Report
Read our previous coverage below.
Original item, 7:07 a.m. March 16: Around 8 p.m. last night, police arrested four Occupy Denver protesters and one local homeless man on charges of robbery.
The cases come with the highest collective bond rates to date: For aggravated robbery, protester James Stacey faces a $50,000 bond, while Caryn Sodaro, Kenny White, Daniel Newman and Michael Seymour face general robbery charges with $10,000 bonds.
All five are expected in courtroom 2300 of the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center at 10 a.m.
Thus far, little of the background story behind the cases has been divulged. According to protester Benjamin Dolon, approximately fifteen police officers visited Civic Center Park and the surrounding area at 8 and left by 8:30 p.m. During that time, they sat White, Newman and Stacey down on the sidewalk before taking them into custody. While doing so, the officers noticed Sodaro's presence at the scene and also removed her from the area. When asked about the charges or case information for the four protesters arrested, the police officers present did not divulge any details.
Sodaro's arrest took place catty-corner from the park -- near the Subway on Colfax, where she was standing on the steps. Protester Tanner Spendley, who was talking with Sodaro at the time, was ordered to move away from her immediately. At that point, point officers approached Sodaro and pulled her into custody.
Courtesy of Joshua Wilson Kenny White, James Stacey and Daniel Newman await arrest.
Spendley shot the following video of the events:
Page down to see the video and more photos, and to read additional arrest coverage:
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