HOUSTON – The Harris County Sheriff's Office investigator who admitted having "consensual sexual conduct" with a witness during the investigation into Deputy Darren Goforth's death went before a disciplinary panel Thursday.
The panel decided to terminate Harris County homicide investigator Sgt. Craig Clopton.
Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman released the following statement Friday:
"On Thursday, the Harris County Sheriff's Office convened a meeting of the HCSO Administrative Disciplinary Committee. The committee was presented with the Internal Affairs Bureau findings from the inquiry into the actions of Homicide Investigator Sgt. Craig Clopton. The Disciplinary Committee later made a recommendation to terminate Sgt. Clopton. I immediately ordered Sgt. Clopton to appear before his chain of command to be notified of his termination. Harris County procedures afford Sgt. Clopton the right to appeal this decision directly to the Office of the Sheriff and to the Harris County Sheriff's Civil Service Commission. As I have previously stated, Sgt. Clopton's actions were unethical and inexcusable. I remain committed to the first tenet of the Sheriff's Office Core Values: to merit and maintain the public's trust."
Court documents state Clopton admitted to consensual sexual conduct with a witness in the slaying of Deputy Darren Goforth. Clopton has been relieved of duty with pay.
KPRC 2 legal analyst Brian Wice said questions could be raised in the case about the integrity and the credibility of the witness and also of Clopton.
Lawyers for Shannon Miles, the man accused of killing Goforth, have requested the District Attorney's Office release records from Goforth's cell phone. Miles' defense team previously spoke publicly, questioning whether Goforth was on duty at the time he was killed or was instead conducting private business.
Defense attorney Anthony Osso has previously said the documents are extremely important to his case to determine if Goforth was discharging an official duty when he was at the gas station the night of Aug. 28. If Goforth was not, then Osso said there should not be a capital murder charge against Miles, but rather murder.
KPRC 2 is reporting on these details because they are now part of the official investigation.
On Monday, Judge Denise Collins recused herself from the Goforth murder case. The reason for the judge's decision is not known.