Five years after the Harding Street raid that left two homeowners dead, former Houston Police Department (HPD) Officer Gerald Goines has yet to face a criminal trial. The deadly operation conducted by HPD narcotics officers, that was based on a fraudulent warrant signed off by Goines, resulted in the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, as was uncovered by KPRC 2 Investigates. In the events following the raid, former HPD Chief Art Acevedo emphasized, "You just don’t get to lie to the court. You don’t get to lie in court documents, it throws everything out."
Charged with murder in August 2019, Goines saw two felony murder indictments against him dropped earlier today by a Harris County judge. The decision by 482nd District Court Judge Veronica Nelson could mark, what appears to be a halt to Goines' prosecution, with the possibility of a lengthy delay or perhaps the end of his trial for the deaths of Tuttle and Nicolas, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Goines' attorneys argued that the original indictments did not specify which laws he allegedly violated, leading to the quashing of the charges.
During the original indictment, Goines was accused of tampering with a government record, resulting in the police executing a "no-knock" search warrant on the couple's home that tragically devolved into a shootout, ending with four officers wounded and the couple killed. Despite the disturbing events, the Harris County District Attorney's Office has stated their readiness to proceed, waiting for the trial to be scheduled, as conveyed by KPRC 2 Investigates. However, the path to the courtroom continues to face delays and roadblocks.
Adding to the complications, with one Colorado sheriff's office telling KPRC 2 Investigates they initially could not find him, Art Acevedo has seemingly dodged a federal subpoena for a deposition in the ongoing civil case related to the Harding Street raid. Eventually, a deputy located Acevedo at the city hall in Aurora, Colorado, just days before he announced his departure from his role as interim police chief to move back to Texas. Amidst this turmoil, the Houston City Council recently approved an additional $1.7 million for the legal defense of the city and Acevedo against the lawsuits filed by the families of Tuttle and Nicholas. "We have no say as to when it goes, but we do have attorneys that are ready to go to court on any of these cases," Doug Griffith, President of the Houston Police Officers Union, told KPRC 2 Investigates.
The lengthiness of the legal process and absence of a trial has led to frustration and distrust among the community. Mike Doyle, attorney for the families of Dennis and Rhogena, expressed his concerns about the lack of timely prosecution for criminal police activity in Houston, stating to KPRC 2 Investigates, "There is no way that any family in Houston, Texas can have any belief that criminal police in this city are going to get timely prosecuted because we know it doesn’t happen." As the case proceeds, KPRC 2 Investigates promises continued coverage of any new developments concerning Goines and the lingering ramifications of the Harding Street raid.
