Posted on 08/23/2019 12:51:06 PM PDT by abb
Former HPD officer Gerald Goines charged with murder in botched Harding Street raid Second former officer faces tampering charge
By Aaron Barker - Senior Digital Editor Posted: 12:50 PM, August 23, 2019 Updated: 2:20 PM, August 23, 2019
HOUSTON - Charges have been filed against two former officers in connection with the deadly botched raid at a home on Harding Street earlier this year.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said former Houston police Sgt. Gerald Goines has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the Jan. 28 raid during which Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, who lived at the home, were killed. Related Stories 12 officers, 2 sergeants obtain legal representation in wake of Harding… DA adds 10 to staff investigating deadly botched Harding Street raid Law enforcement reacts hours after evidence revelations made concerning…
Former Houston police Sgt. Steven Bryant has been charged with tampering with a government document in connection with the case, Ogg said.
Ogg said Goines is accused of lying in the affidavit used to obtain a no-knock warrant that was executed at the home and led to the deadly shooting.
Bryant is accused of lying in a supplemental report that was filed two days after the raid.
"This is a case like none other we've seen," Ogg said.
Ogg said both Goines and Bryant have until 3 p.m. to turn themselves in to authorities.
This story is developing and will be updated.
ping
Hopefully, the Trump DOJ will come down on them too.
This one stunk from the beginning. “Druggies” in their 50s with no priors? Yeah, right.
Good!
Apparently, the perp po-po was allowed to retire instead of being fired. Lovely.
Gerald Goines, the HPD officer at the center of a botched drug raid, retires (and more as well)
Houston Chronicle ^ | Updated 10:58 pm CDT, Friday, March 22, 2019 | St. John Barned-Smith and Keri Blakinger
Posted on 3/26/2019 6:59:44 PM by a fool in paradise
Harris County DA to review 1,400 cases that embattled narcotics officer Gerald Goines worked on
Houston Chronicle ^ | Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | St. John Barned-Smith and Keri Blakinger
Posted on 2/20/2019 3:51:49 PM by abb
Harris County DA to review 1,400 cases that embattled narcotics officer Gerald Goines worked on
Houston Chronicle ^ | Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | St. John Barned-Smith and Keri Blakinger
Posted on 2/20/2019 3:51:49 PM by abb
Channel 2 Investigates: Major questions raised about raid-turned-shootout after warrant reviewed
NBC Houston/ KPRC ^ | 2/15/19 | Mario Diaz
Posted on 2/15/2019 11:08:12 AM by Jaded
This is great news for the State of Texas and for the family and friends of the victims.
I wonder if the death penalty will be involved here.
This guy has been dirty for a long time.
For those who don’t remember:
On Jan. 28, Houston narcotics officers burst into the house at 7815 Harding Street looking for heroin.
The raid went awry almost immediately, with gunfire erupting moments after an undercover narcotics team broke down the door to the Pecan Park home. Dennis Tuttle and his wife, Rhogena Nicholas, were killed and five officers were injured, including case agent Goines, who was shot in the neck.
Police said they were looking for heroin dealers, but the raid only turned up small, user-level amounts of cocaine and marijuana. In the days that followed, an internal investigation sparked questions about the officers’ justification for the search warrant. Though a sworn affidavit - signed by case Goines - recounted a controlled buy made by a confidential informant, police quickly realized they could not verify that claim or find the alleged informant.
https://app.dao.hctx.net/district-attorney-charges-two-officers-harding-street-raid
District Attorney charges two officers in Harding Street raid
August 23, 2019
A former Houston Police officer is charged with two felony murders and another with felony tampering with evidence, for their roles in a botched narcotics raid in which two civilians and their dog were shot to death and four officers wounded, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday.
Gerald Wayne Goines was charged with felony murders and Steven Bryant with evidence tampering in connection with the drug raid at a home at 7815 Harding Street on Jan. 28, 2019.
“The eyes of this community and the nation are on this case; it is critical to the public trust that we reveal the true facts about what, how and why two civilians were killed in their own home by members of the Houston Police Narcotics Squad 15,” Ogg said.
“These two charges of Felony Murder and Tampering with a Government Document against former Officers Goines and Bryant are the beginning of holding those responsible accountable. This is the start, the tip of the iceberg, in terms of how deep and wide we are investigating. We will find the truth about this entire matter.”
These charges against Goines are based on evidence prosecutors believe shows that Goines lied about the victims’ drug activity, threat level, and other factors used to obtain a “no knock warrant” signed by a municipal court judge. They were shot to death at the residence.
Bryant is charged with tampering with a government document for knowingly providing false information in a Houston Police report filed in the aftermath of the raid.
Civil Rights Division prosecutors will begin presenting evidence to a grand jury soon on these and other HPD Narcotics Division Squad 15 officers involved in the shootings.
In addition to the officer-involved shooting, prosecutors are reviewing the events which preceded the deadly raid, including extraneous corruption allegations against Goines. They are also reviewing more than 14,000 previously filed criminal cases which involve Squad 15.
Goines is charged with first-degree felonies and faces up to 99 years or life on each charge if convicted. Bryant is charged with a second-degree felony tampering with a government document, punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors have contacted lawyers for the defendants, who are expected to surrender today by 3 p.m.
The Houston Police Dept.’s Special Investigations Unit handed over in May the results of their investigation to the District Attorney’s Office. The DA Office Civil Rights Division is conducting an independent investigation.
Prosecutors have worked with the Texas Rangers and other agencies in this ongoing matter.
###
We can only pray for a fair jury verdict - no plea bargain “deal”.
They did have a bit of heroin and some MJ in the house. I wonder if their dealer had a grudge he wanted the police to settle for him.
“This is a case like none other we’ve seen,” Ogg said.
Well, the only thing that makes it unlike many other cases I have seen is that the department seems to actually be investigating and has charged some of the murderers with murder. That usually never happens.
More likely to be planted “evidence”.
Finally...
The System takes care of its own, My FRiend.
Consequence of the drug wars. If you can get enough low hanging fruit, you get to become a sergeant.
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