Denver police claimed they killed 17-year-old Jessica Hernandez because they were in fear for their lives as she drove a stolen car towards them in a narrow alleyway, striking one of the officers and leaving him injured.
But an autopsy report released last week states that police shot at her from the left side, meaning they were not in any danger of being run over.
In fact, the trajectory of one of the bullets entered her body “slightly back to front,” indicating that the shooting officer was behind the driver when he opened fire, according to the autopsy report, [__which you can read here.__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jessica-hernandez-autopsy.pdf)
It is no wonder why the [__cops ordered witnesses to stop recording__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/blog/2015/01/denver-cops-kill-teen-order-witnesses-not-record-aftermath/) in the immediate aftermath of the killing that took place January 26, 2015, telling one female, “don’t you dare,” when she tried to pull out a phone to record.
After all, the autopsy not only contradicts police statements, but confirms statements from one of the passengers in the car who told reporters that police needlessly shot her from behind into the driver’s side window.
However, the Denver Post decided the most relevant portion of the autopsy was not the glaring contradictions from police but the fact that Hernandez had traces of marijuana and alcohol in her system, using the headline[__, “Autopsy: Jessica Hernandez shot three times; traces of alcohol, pot in her system.”__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jessica-hernandez-shot-four-times-autopsy-says)
Hernandez was sitting in the car in a residential alleyway listening to music with four teenage friends when police approached them with guns drawn. She was not legally drunk, although at her age, it would be illegal to drink any alcohol.
But it still would not justify a death penalty as the Denver Post seems to be insinuating, obviously doing their to part to keep the Police PR Spin Machine churning.
> The autopsy performed on Jessica Hernandez says the 17-year-old was shot three times by Denver police officers who say they fired at her for driving a stolen car at them.
> The autopsy report’s descriptions of bullet entry points and trajectories indicate the bullets that struck Hernandez were fired from outside the driver’s side door — but does not identify who fired the fatal shots.
> A family spokesman said the autopsy challenges the police version of the shooting.
> The report does not address how many shots each officer fired or where they were standing at the time.
> Two bullet wounds entered her left chest and traveled from left to right. A third entered the left side of her pelvis and traveled to her right thigh, according to the report released Friday by the Denver medical examiner’s office.
> The autopsy also revealed Hernandez had a blood-alcohol content of 0.047, slightly more than half the legal limit for an adult, and also tested positive for cannabinoids.
According to a January 28, 2015 [__Associated Press article:__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/denver-police-shoot-kill-teen-who-struck-officer-with-car)
> The shooting happened early Monday after an officer was called to check on a suspicious vehicle. A colleague arrived after the officer determined the car had been reported stolen, Police Chief Robert White said.
> Police said in a statement that the two officers then “approached the vehicle on foot when the driver drove the car into one of the officers.”
> Both officers then opened fire, police said. One was treated and released from a hospital for a leg injury. Department spokesman Sonny Jackson wouldn’t elaborate on the officer’s injury or comment further about the case.
> The officers came up to the car from behind and fired four times into the driver’s side window, narrowly missing others inside, the passenger said.
> Hernandez wrecked the car into a fence after she was shot, according to the witness. Police said the officer suffered a leg injury for which he was treated at a hospital and released.
> Officers with their guns drawn then pulled people out of the car, including Hernandez, who they handcuffed and searched.
It was the [__third time in seven months__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/denver-police-shoot-2-suspects-critically-injuring-one?source=infinite) that Denver police shot at suspects whom they claimed were driving straight towards them, indicating they have absolutely no safety sense whatsoever, constantly placing themselves into the path of oncoming cars.
Or more likely, they have absolutely no regard for the truth.
In November, [__Denver police were caught on video__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/blog/2014/11/video-survives-denver-police/) repeatedly punching a man in the face before tripping the man’s wife, then turning on the citizen with the camera, snatching it from him and deleting his footage.
But the man, Levi Frasier, had his tablet set up so his footage would save in a cloud, so he was able to recover the video, which he sent to a local news station that ended up doing an i[__n-depth report__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/denver-police-accused-of-excessive-force-illegal-search) on the situation.
That prompted police to go into coverup mode where they refused to admit to Fox 31 that they had viewed the video two days after the station had sent it to them, seeking comment.
Instead, Denver police [__retaliated against Frasier__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/blog/2014/12/denver-cops-arrest-man-exposed-brutality-video/) two weeks later by arresting him on a “newly activated traffic warrant” after he was seen leaving the FBI office where he was providing statements for an investigation against the Denver Police Department.
So this is not a very ethical police department, which is why it’s not surprising they would kill a teenage girl in cold blood, then lie about it to play themselves the victims, knowing they will get away with it.
In fact, it’s been more than 20 years since a Denver police officer has faced criminal charges for killing a citizen, so the two cops involved in this shooting death, Daniel Greene and Gabriel Jordan, are probably not sweating it as they remain on paid administrative leave.
