RELATIVES OF SLAIN MAN HIRE LAWYER

Family Of 23-Year-Old Killed In SWAT Raid Initiate Investigation The family
of a man killed in a SWAT raid Friday has retained prominent Broward County
attorney William Scherer to investigate his death.

Scherer would not say if he was considering a wrongful death lawsuit. But
he said details of Anthony Diotaiuto's death troubled him.

"Serious, serious questions have been raised here," Scherer said. "I have a
concern about it and decided it would be something I would be able to help
the family on."

Diotaiuto, 23, died Friday morning when the Sunrise Police Department's
SWAT team raided his home at dawn and shot him 10 times.

One part of Scherer's investigation is likely to be the backgrounds of the
two officers who shot Diotaiuto, both highly commended officers with no
significant discipline on file, according to personnel records. Neither
officer could be reached Wednesday.

Police have said the SWAT team executed a search warrant Friday at
Diotaiuto's home looking for marijuana after at least one undercover drug
purchase at the house.

During the raid, Diotaiuto ignored officers' orders to "freeze" and ran
into his bedroom and armed himself with a handgun, said Lt. Robert Voss,
spokesman for the Sunrise Police Department. There, Officers Sean Visners,
31, and Andre Bruna, 32, shot Diotaiuto to death.

Police say they found 2 ounces of marijuana, a scale and plastic bags at
the house.

Accounts differ as to whether the SWAT team properly announced its presence
and whether Diotaiuto pointed a gun at officers.

Diotaiuto's relatives and family have described him as a hard-working,
honest man who held two jobs, attended community college and was devoted to
his mother, Marlene Whittier.

Visners and Bruna both have "above-average" or "excellent" annual reviews
and dozens of commendations, several for SWAT and drug operations,
according to personnel files provided by the city of Sunrise.

Visners was hired in 1997 and joined the SWAT team in 1999. Since then,
according to his file, he has been Officer of the Month four times.

Harold Zeishner, a Parkland resident who said he has been Visners' friend
for 25 years, said the officer is hard-working and level-headed.

"I will say that you will find no better human being than Sean Visners in
any walk of life," Zeishner said. "He's someone who actually cares. .. I
never met anyone who would have used as much discretion."

Bruna has had similar success since he was hired in 1998, according to
personnel files.

Both officers are on paid leave while the department and the Broward State
Attorney's Office investigate.

Scherer's clients have included high-profile developers, the Broward County
School Board, and hospitals and cities.