MENA-DEATH COVERUP ALLEGED

Group Cites Ex-FBI Agent's Findings

Ismael Mena's death was covered up by Denver police to protect officers,
members of the Justice for Mena Committee said Thursday.

In a press conference held in front of police headquarters, the committee
presented the findings of retired FBI agent James Kearney, who investigated
the shooting for a lawyer representing Mena's family.

"We feel this evidence provides proof of what happened on Sept. 29, 1999,"
said LeRoy Lemos, a member of the committee. "I challenge the Denver Police
Department to come up with evidence that refutes this evidence."

The department said Keamey's allegations are being reviewed and have been
forwarded to federal and local authorities.

Among the highlights of Keamey's 70 findings: the issue of a pair of
bullets found at the north Denver home where Mena was shot.

The report alleges that after the officers shot Mena, they dragged his body
across his bedroom and shot him again. Those bullets went through Mena's
body and were later found under the carpet, the report says.

While there was blood found where Mena was originally shot, there was no
blood found where his body and the two bullets were found, according to the
report.

The report also alleges that Denver police fired bullets into a wall near
the staircase to make it seem as if Mena shot at the officers.

Mena was killed after a SWAT team carried out a no-knock drug raid at the
wrong house.

Officer Joseph Bini pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for signing a search
warrant wiih the wrong address and was suspended from the force for three
months without pay.

An investigation concluded that SWAT officers killed Mena after he refused
to drop his gun and shot at officers. The SWAT team was cleared of any
wrongdoing.

The city paid the Mena family $400,O00 to avoid a wrongful-death lawsuit.

Police spokesman Tony Lombard said the department is still investigating
Keamey's claims.

"The new information presented by Mr. Kearney is currently under review by
the Denver Police Department.

"Furthermore, Chief (Gerry) Whitman has sent the reports prepared by Mr.
Kearney to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Denver and Jefferson County
district attorneys and the Commander of the Denver Police Department's
Crimes Against Persons Bureau for their review."