Some people probably remember how this case first hit the media as a woeful tale of officers injured while shooting it out with a couple of ne'er-do-weels pushing "black tar heroin." But, as the facts began to bubble out, it developed that no such substances were recovered after the occupants of the stormed residence were gunned down. Indeed, when pressed to identify the alleged "confidential informant" whose information was the supposed basis of the no-knock warrant, Officer Goines, the officer (now retired) who told that story could not come up with any actual confidential informant who would back him up.
When parties outside the Houston Police Department (e.g., media and the Harris County DA) started looking at prior, similar warrants obtained by Officer Goines (who also had an impressive history of civil suits against him), they saw a troubling pattern. Indeed, it was a pattern that probably should have been noticed by the Houston PD (and indeed, by the Harris County DA) a long time ago.
Making up for past dereliction, DA Kim Ogg stepped up to the plate today, and brought the felony murder charges, as the evidence so far discovered seems to show that Goines, for whatever reason, completely made up facts to obtain a no-knock warrant, storm a private residence, and kill the occupants. As a Giglio-forced corollary of the pattern of questionable conduct now tied to Goines, charges have had to be pitched, and convictions based on cases he wrote up will all have to be reviewed. It is a train wreck of the highest magnitude.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/former-houston-cop-gerald-goines-charged-with-murder-in-harding-street-raid/ar-AAGeHUn
No comments:
Post a Comment