DEMONSTRATORS DEMAND JUSTICE IN SLAYING OF OREGON BY POLICE

Protesters gathered Sunday to demand justice in the case of Pedro Oregon, a
Mexican immigrant killed during a Houston police raid.

Houston police burst into the 22-year-old's southwest Houston apartment
without a warrant in July and shot him nine times in the back. Officers say
they suspected him to be a drug dealer.

A Harris County grand jury on Oct. 19 cleared six officers of murder and
indicted only one officer on a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass. The
FBI is investigating the case, and the Houston Police Department is
conducting an internal investigation.

About 200 protesters from Houston's minority community called for a closer
look at police brutality in Houston.

"It's important because it's a great injustice that's been done," said
protester Tom Kleven. "We have a real problem with police brutality. It's
important that we bring this to the public's attention."

"We live in a society where we have a double standard," said Houston
attorney Mario Cabellero of the National Lawyer's Guild. He said law
enforcement and government officials benefit from this double standard that
provides more protection for law enforcement than for citizens.

HPD officers on horseback, bicycles and in squad cars lined the streets as
the protestors chanted: "No justice, no peace. Stop the killer police."

HPD spokesman Fred King said the FBI and HPD investigations are continuing,
and the officers who participated in the raid are still relieved of duty
with pay.