Overzealous Denver Deputy Suspended for Attacking Inmate Who Clowned His Martial Arts Ability

Poor decisions.

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A thin-skinned police officer in Denver has been suspended for attacking an inmate who made fun of his martial arts ability. 

The Denver Post reports that Deputy Roberto Roena of the Denver Sheriff's Department received a 90-day suspension for kicking John Cardenas in the head last April. Apparently, Cardenas was amused by Roena's boasts about his taekwondo skills: 


The Post reports that Roena—a 15-year veteran of the department and an alleged adult—then put down a drink and showed off a taekwondo sidekick into the air, which prompted nearby inmate John Cardenas to (rightfully) make fun of him.


That sort of ribbing didn't sit well with the deputy, who then—as shown in surveillance video—kicked Cardenas in the head with a sidekick, followed by a series of punches. Roena then put Cardenas in a headlock and the two tumbled to the ground before other deputies jumped in to break up the fight.

Roenas insisted that he acted in self-defense, but video footage proved otherwise. Investigators noted that Cardenas didn't get aggressive until the deputy made a "poor decision." Strangely enough, it took well over a year for the department to take action against that poor decision. 

[via The West and The Denver Post]

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