Houston Chronicle by St. John Barned-Smith Dec. 18, 2020
Less than 24 hours before being forced to answer questions in open court about a fatal 2019 drug raid, Houston city officials filed a motion asking to move the case to federal court.
The legal maneuver further delays efforts by relatives of a slain couple to learn more about events tied to the raid on 7815 Harding St. in early 2019, which claimed the lives of homeowners Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle.
After the deadly incident, investigators said the Houston Police Department agent who led the operation lied about ever buying drugs at the home. The ensuing scandal led to resignations, charges against six officers, probes by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI, and overturned convictions. Prosecutors identified more than 150 cases they say may need to be overturned and so far three defendants have seen their convictions vacated.
But the department and city have refused to release key details about the circumstances surrounding the incident. Chief Art Acevedo ordered an audit into the narcotics division, but only released the document publicly after months of criticism from elected officials and others.
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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Lawyers-for-victim-of-fatal-HPD-Harding-Street-15814471.php
