5 ON MIAMI SWAT TEAM FACING CHARGES

MIAMI (AP) -- Five members of the Miami Police Department's SWAT team were
charged Wednesday with lying to federal investigators during a probe of a
1996 drug raid in which a 73-year-old man was killed in a hail of 123 bullets.

Jose Acuna, Ralph Fuentes, Arturo Beguiristain, Eliezer Lopez and Alejandro
Macias were indicted by a federal grand jury on obstruction-of-justice
charges. All five officers have been on the force for at least 12 years.

They were accused of fabricating evidence and agreeing to make false
statements regarding the slaying of Richard Brown, a retired seaman who was
gunned down by the five officers and a sixth SWAT team member.

The officers were placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday pending the
outcome of their case, police said. They could get up to 20 years in prison
if convicted.

Bond was set Wednesday at $100,000 for four of the defendants; they
immediately posted bond. The fifth defendant, Macias, was to appear in
court today.