FBI arrest 2 police officers, 911 caller linked to deadly Harding Street drug raid

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle by  St. John Barned-Smith , Keri Blakinger and Gabrielle Banks 11/20/2019

FBI arrest 2 police officers, 911 caller linked to deadly Harding Street drug raid

Wearing scowls and shackles, two former Houston police officers at the center of a fatal drug raid appeared in federal court Wednesday, hours after they were arrested by the FBI.

One will spend the next two nights at a federal detention facility. His former partner will await trial at home, after being released on bond. In addition, a woman accused of making false 911 calls that led police to the Harding Street home in late January was detained pending a hearing.

Ex-case agent Gerald Goines faces a hearing Friday morning where a federal magistrate will determine if he is a flight risk and a danger to the community. His partner Steven Bryant was expected to be released Wednesday on $50,000 unsecured bond.

Patricia Garcia - the first civilian implicated in the bad bust - is charged with providing false information because she allegedly lied when she called 911 and claimed that she could see her daughter inside the home. She also said that the residents were drug dealers, that they were smoking crack and doing heroin and that they had machine guns inside.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Gerald-Goines-ex-cop-at-center-of-Harding-Street-14848925.php

[Wingnut]

 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Time to get harsh.

People died as a consequence of these being held.

[Elderberry]

Gerald Goines, the Houston police officer at center of fatal drug raid, pleads not guilty on federal charges

Houston Chronicle by  St. John Barned-Smith Nov. 22, 2019

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Gerald-Goines-the-Houston-police-officer-at-14855285.php

The former Houston police officer at the center of a flawed drug raid that claimed the lives of two homeowners pleaded not guilty Friday at a Houston federal courtroom to allegations he violated the slain couple’s civil rights and repeatedly lied to obtain the search warrant.

Investigators discovered a stolen gun in Goines' car, along with various illegal drugs. The  agent also said Goines' confidential informants denied buying drugs from 7815 Harding, where the botched raid happened. The drugs Goines said he had purchased from the Harding Street home were actually bought at another address, a confidential informant alleged. The informant also told investigators she and Goines had been having sex for years.

Goines was indicted on seven charges earlier this week, including allegations he fabricated an informant and lied on a search warrant affidavit, an offense report and the tactical plan made in preparation for the bust that turned into a gun battle that ended with the deaths of Nicholas and Tuttle and with five HPD officers injured.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

Ex-Houston police officer at center of deadly Harding Street raid to stay in federal custody after bond hearing

Houston Chronicle by  Keri Blakinger Nov. 26, 2019

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-police-officer-at-center-of-Harding-St-14863844.php

The former Houston police officer behind a bungled drug raid that left two homeowners dead will remain in federal custody after a Tuesday morning bond hearing where prosecutors argued against his release.

The decision came days after ex-narcotics officer Gerald Goines, 55, pleaded not guilty to federal charges amid what prosecutors described as “vast and growing” evidence that he fabricated an informant and then lied on a search warrant affidavit, an offense report and the tactical plan made in preparation for the fatal January bust.

After the FBI arrested him Wednesday, prosecutors told the court that Goines — who is already facing two felony murder charges in state court because the deaths occurred during the course of another alleged felony, tampering with a government record — repeatedly lied about casework, had sex with an informant and kept loose drugs and a stolen gun in his car. Goines has denied the charges.

More at link.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Why not the police chief as well?

He was complicit in lack of oversight.

To see his accomplishments, now he blames the NRA for a criminal killing a police officer.

If he blames a group for that, surely he is to blame for the botched raid by his own men.

Houston Top Cop Blames NRA After Known Criminal Allegedly Kills Officer

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/09/houston-top-cop-pushes-gun-control-known-criminal-kills-officer/

[PeteS in CA]

https://hotair.com/archives/taylormillard/2020/02/29/tx-da-69-possibly-innocent-people-got-prison-due-crooked-cop/

TX DA: 69 Possibly Innocent People Got Prison Due To Crooked Cop

It was 13 months ago when Houston police stormed into the home of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. A no-knock search warrant claimed the husband and wife sold heroin to a confidential informant.

The raid went horribly wrong. Tuttle and Nicholas died and four police officers were shot. A fifth suffered an injured ankle in all the chaos.
... No heroin was ever found inside the home. May brought about questions whether Tuttle and Nicholas ever fired weapons as police claimed. By August, felony murder charges were filed against Gerald Goines, the officer who secured the warrant. Federal murder charges were filed against Goines in November. A Harris County grand jury indicted Goines for murder last month.  ...
The botched raid caused a review of hundreds of cases Goines secured arrests and convictions. Two brothers were eventually declared innocent in connection with a 2008 drug conviction.

But now 69 convictions are under review because Goines may have lied to secure warrants. ...