District attorney responds to release regarding indicted HCSO deputies

2 sheriff's deputies indicted on official oppression charges

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson is responding to a Harris County Sheriff's Office media release about the grand jury indictments of two deputies on charges of official oppression.

Anderson said HCSO's response to the indictment of Deputies Ronaldine Pierre and William Strong is "disappointing on many levels."

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"First, the suggestion that the grand jury had not reviewed the evidence is spurious and uninformed," Anderson said. "Although this office cannot disclose the substance of the grand jury's secret proceedings, we can disclose that the grand jury did fully and fairly review all of the available evidence over several sessions. The decision to indict was not a conclusion based on 'a local news report about the incident.'"

Pierre and Strong were indicted in connection with the June 20, 2015, roadside search of a woman initially stopped for a traffic violation.

The woman was subjected to mistreatment, search and seizure that the two knew was unlawful, the indictment alleged.

Anderson added that the response overemphasizes the decision of the District Attorney's Office to accept charges against her.

"In Harris County, the initial decision to accept a criminal charge is generally based upon a brief conversation between the arresting officer and a prosecutor, in which the arresting officer describes the facts justifying criminal charges, and the prosecutor approves or disapproves the charge based on what the prosecutor was told," Anderson said.

When a case is subsequently assigned to a trial court prosecutor, that prosecutor then conducts a thorough and careful review of the facts and law to decide whether the evidence justifies further prosecution, Anderson added.

Both deputies were placed on administrative duty; after the allegations they were suspended from duty.

Official oppression carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine up to $4,000.