B737-300 CAPT USED HIS EMER AUTH TO AVOID FLT INTO A LEVEL 5 TSTM IN ZDV CLASS E AIRSPACE.

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DEN SURROUNDED BY TSTMS. DISPATCH SAID W DEP OK. TKOF RWY 25; 260 DEG HDG ASSIGNED. RADAR ON GND NOT PAINTING ACCURATELY THE DEP PATH. VISUALLY LOOKED GOOD FOR 20 OR SO MI. 10 MI AFTER DEP; RADAR SHOWED LEVEL 5 TSTMS. REQUESTED R TURN. GOT 20 DEGS R APPROVED. NEEDED ANOTHER 40 DEGS R; LINE OF TSTMS. CTLR BUSY TALKING TO OTHER ACFT AND DUE TO PA32 PIPER GA ACFT. WE WENT ABOUT 8 MORE MI AND I STARTED TO TURN FURTHER N FOR WX AVOIDANCE. FO TOLD ATC WE NEEDED FURTHER R. HE DENIED IT FOR TFC. I CAME ON THE RADIO AND TOLD HIM WE WERE TURNING R. HE SAID NO; TFC JUST PASSED THROUGH AREA WITH A DSCNT RIDE; AND THAT TFC WOULD BECOME A CONFLICT. I TOLD HIM 'WE ARE TURNING AND I HAVE GOT TO DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO; AND YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO; BUT I AM NOT FLYING INTO THE WX.' HE SAID THERE MAY BE A LOSS OF SEPARATION AND I SAID 'WHATEVER; BASICALLY I HAVE TO TURN AND AM HDG ABOUT 320 DEGS.' HE SAID 'TURN TO 260 DEGS NOW.' I SAID '5 MORE MI.' WE WERE AT ABOUT FL190 THEN AND OTHER TFC AT 17000 FT; AND 16000 FT. HE WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT A LOSS OF SEPARATION AND SEEMED FINE WITH OUR FLT PATH ONCE I ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTIONS. I THINK HE NEEDED THAT FROM ME FOR THE TAPE SO HE WOULD NOT BE WRONGED FOR THE LOSS OF SEPARATION ALARM THAT FOLLOWED.