Officer charged with murder in connection with deadly botched raid appears in court

HOUSTON – One of the officers charged in the botched Harding Street raid that left two people dead and four officers injured appeared before a judge Monday.

Former Houston Police Department narcotics Officer Gerald Goines appeared in court for the first time since he was taken into custody Friday. 

Goines is charged with two counts of felony murder. He is accused of lying to a judge to obtain a no-knock warrant at the home of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas.

During the botched raid, Nicholas was shot several times. Tuttle fired back at police and was also shot several times. Both were killed.

Investigators said police thought there was heroin in the home, but according to court documents, Goines told investigators there was no informant and that he bought the drugs himself.

Goines' attorney, Nicole DeBorde, said Goines is innocent and the charges against him are excessive.

"I absolutely think it was overcharge,” DeBorde said. “We firmly believe Mr. Goines is innocent of any crime and look forward to defending this case vigorously."

A judge set Goines' bond at $300,000 total, $150,000 for each charge. He posted bail Friday after being arrested. 

On Monday, a judge set bond conditions for Goines saying he could not leave Harris County, had to wear an ankle monitor and cannot commit a crime.

His case was rescheduled for October.

Former Houston Police Department narcotics Officer Stephen Bryant was also expected to appear in court Monday.

He is charged with tampering with a government document in connection with the case.


About the Author:

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.