COP'S PERJURY CHARGE DOESN'T QUELL ACTIVISTS

Feb. 5 - Denver police officer Joseph Bini was relieved that he was
finally charged with felony perjury, his lawyer said Friday.

But for community activists outraged at the shooting death of Ismael
Mena in a botched no-knock raid, the fight against the police
department is just beginning.

"All I know is, we shall see," said Heriberto Mena, the 21-year-old
son of the Mexican immigrant killed in September.

While a special prosecutor on Friday accused Bini of perjury and city
officials admitted they raided the wrong house, members of the Justice
for Mena Committee say the father of nine continues to be the victim
of a coverup.

"This cannot stop here if justice is to be done," committee member
Leroy Lemos said. "There is too much truth not being told."

The committee stands behind an investigation by a former FBI agent
hired by the Mena family. It alleges police killed an unarmed man by
firing through a door without knowing if Mena was armed. Then they
allegedly planted a gun on Mena to make it appear they were protecting
themselves.

Jefferson County District Attorney Dave Thomas, the special prosecutor
in the case, dispelled the theory Friday.

Mena had a gun, fired it at police and was partially hidden behind the
halfopened door to his bedroom, Thomas said.

Still, the committee, which plans to march on the Denver City and
County Building today, is seeking more charges against others involved
in the shooting.

Bini, however, is looking forward to proving his innocence.

"It sounds absurd, but he was relieved when the charges were filed,"
said David Bruno, Bini's attorney. "He's been living in a shadow and
knows the battle front and now can go forward with it."

Bruno reasoned that Bini wouldn't have intentionally lied on a
warrant, especially if it meant danger to his fellow officers. More
likely, however, is that Bini was pressed into being a kind of police
officer he wasn't trained to be.

"Not every mistake is a criminal act," Bruno said. "We have the
evidence to suggest that Bini was asked to do a task that he wasn't
sufficiently prepared to do."

Attorney Robert Maes, who represents the Mena family, declined to
comment about the findings Friday. He has said he will pursue a
civil-rights lawsuit against the city but would pre-empt that if a
fair settlement is offered by the city. Mena left behind a wife and
nine children, seven of whom still live in Mexico.

Denver police union officials said they were saddened by the news of
criminal charges against an officer but are pleased others weren't
found responsible for the alleged misdeeds of one man.

"People make mistakes and take shortcuts, and that impacts a lot of
people," said John Wyckoff, a board member of the Denver Police
Protective Association.

"Thomas vindicated the police department today, and the citizens have
to know it's a fine department."