Pubdate: Mon,  6 Sep 2004
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2004 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Jessica Portner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/rodolfo+Cardenas

INDICTED AGENT'S AFFILIATION BRINGS OUT PROTESTERS

Banging drums and hoisting signs reading ``No justice, no peace,'' two
dozen family members and supporters of Rodolfo ``Rudy'' Cardenas, who
was killed by state narcotics agents earlier this year, marched
Saturday in front of San Jose's Doubletree hotel, where a conference
on gang control is to be held later this week.

Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement agent Mike Walker, who was indicted by
a grand jury on manslaughter charges in Cardenas' death, sits on the
board of Central Coast Gang Investigators, which is sponsoring the
event, hotel officials said.

Neither Walker nor members of the group could be reached for comment
Saturday.

The protesters object to Walker's involvement in the conference,
saying he shouldn't be instructing others on law enforcement
procedures when his actions are under court scrutiny.

``They say what they did was justifiable, and they are going to teach
other officers to do what they did,'' said Corina Cardenas, 20, Rudy's
daughter. ``We are worried that another life will end up being lost.''

In the Feb. 17 slaying, Walker, 33, mistook the 43-year-old father of
five for a fugitive and shot him in the back with a .40-caliber Glock
semiautomatic pistol when he tried to run. The trial is set to begin
Sept. 20.

As she marched among her friends and family in the hot sun, Regina
Cardenas, 26, said her daily life has been completely altered by her
father's death.

``Before it was go to work, hang out with friends,'' said Regina, who
lives in San Jose. ``Every day now, I am just committed to preventing
this from happening again.''

Hector Gonzalez said the march was also intended to shed light on
police brutality in general. The 21-year-old student said he'd been
stopped by police 15 times and only ticketed once for speeding.
``People with brown skin are suspect,'' he shouted.

Mike Larson, the manager of the Doubletree, said he could empathize
with the family's outrage, but refused to bar the gang-investigators
group from coming.

``I'm not tied to either side. But they have a right to assemble,''
said Larson, after meeting with a few family members and friends in
the hotel's darkened bar. ``Would I have a convicted felon teach
here? No. But Walker is innocent until proven guilty.''
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin