MAYOR'S DISTANCE FROM OREGON ISSUE RAISING QUESTIONS

Amid the fallout from a grand jury decision in the death of Pedro
Oregon Navarro, Mayor Lee Brown is receiving mixed reviews from other
city officials for his leadership during the past several days.

While the rhetoric following the grand jury decision did not escalate
to violence as some feared, critics questioned why Brown appeared slow
to respond or take charge on an issue so potentially divisive for the
city.

"The mayor should be the father figure for this city," said Councilman
John Castillo. "There could have been a potential for disruption, and
I think he had an obligation to take a more aggressive and public role
in providing comfort to the community which, by and large, seems to be
hurt by what has happened."

A Harris County grand jury on Monday cleared six police officers
involved in the death of Oregon, 22, indicting only one on a
misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass. The officers had burst into
Oregon's apartment without a warrant and shot him July 12.

Although several officials offered a similar description of what
Brown's responsibilities are as city leader in such times, opinions
were divided on whether Brown fulfilled his obligations.

"I think his responsibilities were to be aware of the concerns in the
community in such a high profile incident, to stay in contact with the
affected community and do his best to see that tensions were defused,"
said Councilwoman Annise Parker. "I think he fulfilled them."

However, Parker -- who previously served on the Police Advisory
Committee and the Citizen Review Committee for the Houston Police
Department -- said Brown may have been experiencing divided loyalties
as former chief of police and a longtime law enforcement
professional.

"I am sure it had to be difficult, he is very identified with HPD,"
Parker said. "I think that when something like this happens, it's a
reflection on all of us. I think we all had feelings of outrage and
anger that it happened, but he must have had some divided loyalties."

On Monday, the day the grand jury returned its findings, numerous
civic leaders rushed to denounce the decision and to urge calm in the
community. City Council members immediately drafted a letter to
federal justice officials, calling for an investigation.

Brown, meanwhile, had already gone home by the time his office
released a brief written statement after 6:30 p.m., requesting an FBI
inquiry into Oregon's killing.

On Tuesday, Brown remained largely in the background, reiterating his
statement from the day before and sticking to his schedule, including
a lunch with the Houston Restaurant Association.

Several members of City Council called a press conference to detail
their call for a federal investigation. At that event, Councilman
Orlando Sanchez noted Brown's reticence in showing leadership on the
issue - leading to an angry phone call from the mayor for what Brown
considered a cheap shot.

For a mayor who recently convened a "Unity Breakfast" with Hispanic
officials and has otherwise tried to build bridges with that
community, the omission for some began to appear strange.

"It's been apparent to me that he has been pretty reserved about it
all," said Councilman Rob Todd. "I think he has a responsibility, and
that is to urge calm and to urge people to trust their
government."

Brown was trumped on Tuesday when U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee,
D-Houston, met with the Oregon family and appeared on the evening
news, surrounded by the family members and speaking with the U.S.
Department of Justice on her cellular phone.

Brown was to have met with the family that evening, but the event was
canceled when one of the members fell ill. Brown instead commended
community leaders in the Gulfton area, where many Hispanics live, and
said his staff had been active there.

By Wednesday the mayor's relative invisibility on the issue was
becoming a topic of conversation at City Hall. After two days of
obscurity, Brown's staff drafted an impassioned statement on the
Oregon case that the mayor delivered during a council meeting.

"This case has anguished many people in our city. Many people are
dismayed, even angry over what, to them, is an apparent miscarriage of
justice," Brown said. "I understand why they are angry. They want to
know the truth."

Later in the day, Brown attended a session in a nearby park with
Hispanic and other community leaders, aimed at reassuring residents
and continuing to call for peaceful discourse. His staff called the
mayor's efforts a success.

"The mayor showed tremendous leadership in dealing with a very
difficult situation," said Jay Aiyer, Brown's chief of staff. "Through
his own action, he set an example for the rest of us in terms of
understanding and respecting the process."

Aiyer contended that Brown's low-key approach to the situation showed
restrained dignity.

"The easy thing to do would be to grandstand or exploit the issue,"
Aiyer said. "He clearly did not do that."

Controller Sylvia Garcia, who lent her support to the council members
asking for a federal investigation, added her praise to Brown's
handling of the city in the wake of the Oregon case.

"I think the mayor acted very responsibly in asking for the Justice
Department review," Garcia said. "I think with his background, he
deserves a lot of credit for the level of professionalism we have at
HPD."

Garcia, who on Friday attended an event honoring Hispanic police
officers, called the Oregon incident an "aberration."

Harris County Constable Victor Trevino said the best thing city
officials can do now is be truthful and honest in disclosing all of
the facts in the case.

"It's not just about loyalty, you have to stand on the side of truth,"
Trevino said. "The public wants to know what happened, and I think
government is wrong when it starts being secretive. They keep telling
us to wait on judgment until we know the truth. When are we going to
know?"

Checked-by: Patrick Henry