JUDGE FINDS NO SELECTIVE PROSECUTION AGAINST FORMER OFFICERS IN OREGON CASE

A federal judge ruled Tuesday there is no evidence two former police
officers are being selectively prosecuted for alleged civil rights
violations in the shooting death of Pedro Oregon Navarro.

But U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas agreed to review defense briefs
arguing that the indictments of Darrell Strouse and James Willis
resulted from political pressure, not the evidence.

Attorneys Joe Porto and Michael Ramsey cited an Aug. 13 letter from
four members of Congress urging the Justice Department to prosecute.
Porto said he believes the department has letters from other
politicians concerning the case and there are internal memoranda as
well.

He asked Atlas to compel the government to tell the defense about any
such efforts, but Atlas denied the request, saying defense briefs
would have to show a precedent for exposing the department's internal
workings.

Strouse, 35, and Willis, 29, are accused of conspiracy to deprive
Oregon of his civil rights during a drug investigation involving
Oregon's brother, Rogelio.

However, prosecutors told Atlas they do not know where Rogelio Oregon
is and have no power to compel him to talk to defense attorneys.

Oregon, 22, was slain when six HPD officers, pursuing an informant's
tip, stormed into Rogelio's southwest Houston apartment looking for
drugs.

Although neither defendant was involved in the shooting, prosecutors
said they did plan the entry, without a search or arrest warrant.

Police officials have said one officer, believing Oregon had pulled a
piston on him, fired his weapon and hit another officer in his
bullet-resistant vest, knocking him to the floor. The other officers
apparently thought that shot came from Oregon, and they fired about 30
rounds, 12 of which hit Oregon.

No drugs were found in the apartment and Oregon had not fired at
police, though his gun was found nearby. Oregon, who had no criminal
record, had no drugs or alcohol in his system.

Only Willis, a six-year police veteran, has been tried in connection
with the shooting. He was acquitted of a charge of misdemeanor
criminal trespass.

The other officers -- David R. Barrera, 28, a five-year veteran;
Lamont E. Tillery, 30, a two-year officer; Pete A. Herrada, 28, a
three-year officer; and David Perkins, 30, a four-year officer -- were
not indicted in the state and federal investigations.

Willis and Strouse go on trial April 24.