Source: UPI Wire Report
Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 1998

GRAND JURY TO PROBE SHOOTING OF MEXICAN

HOUSTON, July 19 (UPI) Officials of the Houston Police Department met with
Mexican Consul General Manuel Perez Cardenas to discuss the fatal shooting
of Mexican national Pedro Oregon in a drug raid on July 12, which resulted
in suspension of the six officers involved.

Cardenas says today that the assistant police chief promised him a grand
jury will hear the case by Aug. 17.

The meeting comes as funeral services are being held for Oregon at Iglasius
Julio Episcopal San Mateo, a church in Houston.

More than 30 rounds were fired in the raid. One officer suffered a bullet
bruise when a slug fired by another officer struck him in the shoulder.

The wounded officer, L.E. Tillery, a member of a police anti-gang unit, was
also suspended.

The investigation into the officers' use of deadly force seeks to determine
whether the officers violated department policy and possibly broke the law
in their handling of the raid.

The raid was reportedly set up with the aid of an informant who was not
registered with the police department.

Also, the officers allegedly had no warrant before they entered the
apartment where Oregon was shot.

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Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)