Pubdate: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 Source: Denver Post (CO) Copyright: 1999 The Denver Post Contact: 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 Fax: (303) 820.1502 Website: http://www.denverpost.com/ Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm Author: Carlos Illescas and Marilyn Robinson, Denver Post Staff Writers Note: Denver Post Staff Writer Jim Kirksey contributed to this report. VICTIM'S KIDS CRITICIZE POLICE RAID Dec. 1 - Children of a man killed during a questionable no-knock drug raid criticized Denver police Tuesday, saying their father would still be alive today had officers acted properly. "If the police knew where they were going, he wouldn't be dead," said Heriberto Mena, the 21-year-old son of Ismael Mena. "It wasn't good what they did." Police, meanwhile, said they have revised their procedure in the wake of the incident and will now require a supervisor to approve all search warrants written by street officers. Ismael Mena, 45, was slain by Denver SWAT officers during the Sept. 29 raid at 3738 High St. Authorities say they fired at Mena after he drew a gun on them and fired. Recently, however, there have been allegations that police may have targeted the wrong house because of inaccurate information in the search warrant. Both the police department and the Denver District's Attorney's Office are investigating. The officer requesting the warrant for the High Street address, Joseph Bini, is a neighborhood police officer in the northeast police district. Bini said he saw "a previously reliable confidential informant" go to the house - accurately describing the house in the affidavit - where the informant said he or she bought a "rock" of crack. But no drugs were found in the home, nor were any drugs found in Mena's system during the autopsy. "He didn't do or take drugs," said Jose Mena, another son, who lives with his brother in Southern California. "He was a good man." Neighbors of 3738 High said they never saw any drug activity there. They think a house a few doors away was the more likely target. "We all make mistakes. Maybe they did get the wrong address," said Manuelita Jurrola, who lives just down the street. "According to all the noises we used to hear ... everything was going to that other address, not to where the police went to." Mary Ann Casias agreed. "I know for a fact there there was no drugs," she said. "I never seen any and I've lived here for 10 years. ... I think they (the police) made a mistake." The new policy, instituted Nov. 10, was the result of the Mena case and the demand on street officers to do more narcotics enforcement, Sgt. Tony Lombard said. "There's more people doing search warrants these days than just narcs (narcotics detectives)," Lombard said "Due to that, an additional level of review was inserted in the process." Street officers often are called in to handle narcotics complaints, said Capt. Marco Vasquez, Bini's commander and a former supervisor in the narcotics bureau. "It boils down to supply and demand," Vasquez said. "There are more narcotics complaints citywide than the narcotics detectives can handle." Heriberto Mena said his father's friends and neighbors have speculated that he may have thought someone was breaking into his house, so he grabbed a gun to protect himself. There were several people - both male and female - living at the High Street house, and Mena may have been trying to fend off the would-be intruders, his family said. "I never saw him with a gun," Heriberto Mena said. "I don't know where he got it. Maybe he thought the police were burglars." Heriberto described his father as a caring, hard-working man who took care of his family in Mexico by earning money here in the United States. He would typically work for a while, send money home, then return to Mexico to see his family. Ismael Mena was married to Maria del Carmen Mena. They were raising five daughters and four sons in the west-central Mexican state of Jalisco. Heriberto Mena said his father worked for Coca-Cola in Colorado, and that he had held several jobs in Washington state, California and Colorado. Ironically, Ismael Mena came to Colorado about six months ago, family members said, because he "felt safer" here. The shooting victim liked to ride horses, his son, Heriberto said, and even raised a few at his Mexican home. "Everyone is very sad," Heriberto said. Denver Post Staff Writer Jim Kirksey contributed to this report. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D