A former Houston police officer, Gerald Goines, has been reindicted on murder charges for his role in a deadly drug raid in 2019 that resulted in the deaths of a married couple, Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. The grand jury indicted Goines on two felony murder counts, following a judge’s dismissal of similar charges he had previously faced. Prosecutors allege that Goines lied to obtain a search warrant by fabricating a confidential informant and falsely portraying the couple as dangerous heroin dealers. The raid resulted in the fatal shooting of Tuttle, Nicholas, and their dog, with only small amounts of marijuana and cocaine found in the house.
Goines, who has maintained his innocence, faced previous murder indictments that were dismissed last month due to flaws in how they used underlying charges of tampering with a government record to indict him for murder. Despite this dismissal, a new indictment has now been issued, and Goines’ attorneys are preparing to address this new development. The trial is scheduled for June, and Goines is also facing federal charges in connection with the case. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg expressed confidence in bringing Goines to justice and providing closure for the victims of the deadly raid.
The Nicholas family, represented by attorney Mike Doyle, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit and is committed to seeking justice for the deaths of their loved ones. Doyle stated that the family will continue their fight for justice, hoping that both the District Attorney and U.S. attorney’s offices will secure some level of justice in the case. A dozen officers, including Goines, involved in the narcotics squad responsible for the raid were indicted on various charges following a corruption probe. Prosecutors have reviewed thousands of cases handled by the narcotics unit since the incident, with 22 convictions linked to Goines being overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
One of the cases under scrutiny related to Goines is his 2004 drug arrest of George Floyd in Houston, whose death in 2020 at the hands of a Minnesota police officer sparked nationwide protests against racism in policing. Floyd was not granted a posthumous pardon for his drug conviction following his arrest by Goines, as requested in 2022. The case highlights the broader implications of police misconduct and corruption within law enforcement agencies, underscoring the need for accountability and transparency. The ongoing legal proceedings involving Goines and other officers implicated in the deadly raid serve as a reminder of the challenges in addressing systemic issues within police departments and ensuring justice for victims of police misconduct.
