Since three members of Christina Korbe's family were arrested earlier this month, they have stepped up claims of being subjected to harassment and intimidation by local and federal law enforcement.

"Everything [police] have done to this point is to exact revenge, not justice," Mrs. Korbe's brother-in-law, George Waksmunski, said in a news release. Police respond that they are merely following leads as they investigate the fatal shooting of FBI Special Agent Samuel Hicks on Nov. 19 at Mrs. Korbe's Indiana Township home.

It's a case of a strikingly tone-deaf public relations campaign vs. the grim determination by law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the death of one of its own.

Christina Korbe, 40, is charged with killing Agent Hicks on Nov. 19, when he and a team of officers arrived at the couple's home to serve an arrest warrant on her husband, Robert Korbe.

Already charged in connection with a large-scale cocaine ring, Mr. Korbe, 39, is also accused of faking a burglary at his home to collect $29,000 in insurance money.

The Korbes' relatives have contacted the media and local politicians to complain about their treatment at the hands of law enforcement, saying that they have been followed, spat upon and had their every move scrutinized. They have walked with protest signs outside the federal courthouse during a hearing for Mrs. Korbe.

After Mrs. Korbe's sister, brother and father were charged with unrelated crimes, the family said those prosecutions were evidence of a campaign against them.

But local police said this is how investigations work.

"If we get information, we follow the information," said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt.

Criminal justice experts said that in any case, as an investigation continues, more and more information about illegal activity can surface. But in a high-profile case, that happens even more frequently. Add a cast of characters constantly seeking publicity, and there is a greater likelihood of an increased number of anonymous tips.

"If you're going to put yourself out there in the public like that, you better have a clean background," said La Roche College criminology professor Larry Likar.

In the Korbe case, her family members have picketed, they've done interviews with local media and sent out a number of news releases.

Then, on Feb. 12, Allegheny County police charged Mrs. Korbe's sister, Darlene Waksmunski, 48, of Polish Hill, and father, Gilbert Roland Sr., 72, of Glenshaw, with misdemeanor counts involving video poker machines at the Korbes' D&J Variety Store in Sharpsburg.

Her brother, Gilbert Roland Jr., 45, also of Glenshaw, was charged with two felony weapons counts, as well as one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of children. Gilbert Roland Sr. was also charged with a weapons offense and endangering the welfare of children. The endangering charge stemmed from guns that police say were not secured around the Korbes' two children, 5 and 10.

"We think we're being targeted because we're the support structure for Christina Korbe," Mr. Waksmunski said. "The only reason for the raid was a fishing expedition to see how they could damage the family more."

Paul McCauley, a criminology professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said it's a legitimate question to ask when the investigation into the video poker machines and weapons began. He also said he can understand how the Korbe family may feel that it's being unfairly targeted.

"But I certainly don't think it's true," he said.

Instead, it's perfectly acceptable for law enforcement to expand its investigation, Mr. McCauley said. Often where drugs are involved -- the entire case began with a drug indictment of Christina Korbe's husband, Robert -- there is a connection to gambling, he said.

He added, though, that: "There's a fine line between officers' diligence and police deviance.

"I am not suggesting anyone's doing anything wrong. I'm saying there is that temptation for law enforcement to take care of its own, and that includes building a very strong case. Across that line is manufacturing a case."

But Mr. Likar, a retired FBI agent, said that's highly unlikely.

"Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? No," he said. "Investigators going in just to get other people out of spite is highly unlikely because the potential repercussions could be too severe."

Those could include violations of internal regulations and possible punishment; hampering a case as it goes to trial because of flawed evidence, and in the extreme, criminal charges.

Frank Monaco, a former major with the Pennsylvania State Police and now chief of police in Plum, said an automatic safety feature is built into the criminal justice system to ensure things like that don't happen.

"The reality is the police always have a check and balance with the prosecutor's office," he said.

As an example, Chief Monaco cited the investigation into the shooting death of state police Cpl. Joseph R. Pokorny on Dec. 12, 2005. Leslie D. Mollett is serving life in prison without parole for first-degree murder in that case, which was investigated by state police.

"At the end of the day, we didn't run willy-nilly with every charge we could," he said. "Everything has to be approved by the DA."

When investigating the death of a colleague, Chief Monaco said, it's essential that the fallen officer's best friends not work the case.

"Obviously, you want people thinking clearly," he said. "You don't want anyone making decisions based on emotions."

In the Korbe case, Mr. Likar said, what likely happened is that the drug investigation involving Robert Korbe spun off into other directions.

"This case wasn't just a homicide, it was a large-scale drug investigation," Mr. Likar said. "Where did the income go? It just leads to uncover other activities."

And while he doesn't think the police investigating the case are doing anything inappropriate, he expects they might take pleasure in making additional arrests.

"It's just the nature of the beast," Mr. Likar said. "They're probably happy to charge them."

That's especially so, he said, when witnesses or family members are uncooperative or belligerent.

"We're scared, but we're defiant," said Mr. Waksmunski. "We're not going to be intimidated."