The ongoing trial of former Houston Police Department officer Gerald Goines took a dramatic turn when ex-officer Steven Bryant testified about a previously undisclosed body camera. Bryant, who has already pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the 2019 Harding Street raid resulting in the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, suggested a sergeant may have recorded the deadly incident, a claim that contradicts previous beliefs that no video existed. According to ABC13, Bryant's revelation led to a temporary clearing of jurors from the courtroom.
Bryant's emotional testimony included details of his involvement on the day of the raid and alluded to a personal body camera worn by former Sgt. Clemente Reyna. Despite not having seen the camera himself, Bryant based his assumption on discussions within the narcotics team, specifically mentioning a conversation with fellow officer Felipe Gallegos. This development raised immediate concerns about the handling of evidence, particularly as Reyna is accused of tampering with records in an unrelated overtime scheme. Gallegos' attorney, Rusty Hardin, has denied that any personal camera was used during the raid, as per the statement obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
The trial has brought renewed attention to the Houston Police Department's (HPD) policies regarding the use of body cameras. HPD's policy, in place at the time of the raid, disallowed the usage of personal body cameras unless permitted by the Chief of Police. The emergence of this personal body camera narrative has raised critical questions about what evidence may or may not exist. Courtroom discussions were spurred by the potential existence of footage from Reyna's camera, thus potentially presenting a Brady violation if the footage wasn't disclosed to Goines' defense team.
Mac Secrest, Goines' attorney, expressed concerns about the implications of an undisclosed body-worn camera, while Kathy Mitchell, a former ACLU of Texas board member, highlighted the irregularity and gravity of the situation, stating, "This is exactly why we have this law," echoing the sentiment around evidence handling in officer-involved shootings, according to a Houston Chronicle report. The jury has so far only viewed body camera footage from uniformed officers tasked with perimeter duty, which documents the aftermath, not the raid itself. Notably, footage captured by a third officer's camera was ceased more than 40 minutes into the operation, by order of former Police Chief Art Acevedo.
With both the defense and prosecution ordered to investigate the body camera claim, the trial's outcome remains uncertain. Goines faces serious charges for allegedly fabricating details to secure a no-knock warrant, leading to a tragedy that has scrutinized HPD's protocols and transparency.
