Michael Hancock Sent Me N-Word Text, Says Leslie Branch-Wise

Denver Police Detective Leslie Branch-Wise, who came forward last year to share what she saw as inappropriate texts sent to her by Mayor Michael Hancock during the 2011-2012 period when she was assigned to his security detail, has released another message she received from Hancock during that time. The text, seen below, juxtaposes a meme of what appear to be nearly naked African children dancing and the phrase "It's Friday Niggas."

Asked about the text, Hancock's campaign offered the following statement: "Mayor Hancock has no recollection of sending or forwarding this meme to anyone. His record on civil rights and racial equity is well known, and anyone who knows him well will attest to that."

According to Branch-Wise, she decided to share the image after the Hancock campaign attempted to make race an issue in the mayoral runoff by taking advantage of challenger Jamie Giellis's failure to remember the words represented by the letters NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), as well as the surfacing of a decade-old tweet in which she expressed curiosity as to why so many American cities have a Chinatown.

Giellis fired back in a news conference during which she accused the Hancock administration of fostering a culture of sexual harassment. Branch-Wise's name was mentioned at the press event, and it was also seen in a graphic showing city payouts: The detective received $75,000 related to alleged offenses committed by onetime Hancock aide and friend Wayne McDonald, who later settled a separate suit with the city for $200,000.

Read more: https://www.westword.com/news/michael-hancock-sent-me-n-word-text-says-leslie-branch-wise-11356197