Pubdate: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Contact: http://www.chron.com/ Copyright: 1998 Houston Chronicle Author: Stefanie Asin OFFICER CHARGED IN OREGON CASE WILL GO TO TRIAL A Houston police officer charged with criminal trespass in connection with the shooting death of Pedro Oregon Navarro will go to trial to defend himself, his attorney said Tuesday at his first court appearance. "He's not guilty," said attorney Brian Benken, who is representing Officer James Willis, 28. "There will be a lot of information that will come out in trial that will shed new light." Benken said his client should be tried in the next few months. If convicted, he could spend up to a year in jail. Willis has been suspended with pay pending an internal affairs investigation. If convicted of the misdemeanor, there is no Houston Police Department policy that prevents Willis from staying on the force unless the internal investigation shows he violated department rules, said John Cannon, HPD spokesman. Officers convicted of felonies lose their law enforcement license. On July 12, six officers burst into Oregon's residence after receiving a tip from an informant that drugs were being sold. The officers opened fire on Oregon after another officer accidentally fired his weapon. Oregon was shot 12 times, including nine in the back. The officers contend that he pointed a gun at them. The officers did not have an arrest or search warrant, and Oregon's gun had not been fired. No drugs were found in the apartment. - --- Checked-by: Rolf Ernst