Two Denver police officers caught on videotape during the 2009 beating of Michael DeHerrera have challenged their termination with Denver’s Civil Service Commission.

Manager of Safety Charles Garcia fired Devin Sparks and Randy Murr on March 25 for “deceptive acts.”

In an appeal filed Monday with the Civil Service Commission, they say that their termination was not “supported by the preponderance of evidence,” and that Garcia didn’t have the jurisdiction to fire them because they had already been disciplined by former safety manager Ron Perea.

At that time, Independent Monitor Richard Rosenthal recommended firing both officers for filing inaccurate reports, not for excessive force. A deputy police chief recommended they be suspended.

In August, Perea recommended both officers be suspended for three days — a decision that created an uproar among Denver residents and ultimately led Perea to resign. Denver police then reopened the case.