Former Houston police officer Gerald Goines was sentenced to 60 years in prison for his role in the 2019 no-knock raid that left two homeowners dead and four officers wounded. His sentences will run concurrently, and he will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years. He must also pay $20,000 in fines, Courthouse News reports. Prosecutors and defense spent the two weeks of trial dissecting every aspect of the “Harding Street raid,” as it has come to be known in Houston. Prosecutors successfully argued that Goines lied to get the no-knock search warrant for the raid, falsely stating that he had used a confidential informant to purchase drugs from the Harding Street home. They argued that because he was responsible for the raid happening, and because he was the lead agent on the raid, he was responsible for the deaths of the two homeowners, Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas.
Defense attorney Nicole Deborde cautioned the jury against handing down a longer sentence. In her closing arguments, she told the jury that Goines made the community safer, while also pointing to his history of poor health and the injuries he suffered on the raid as reasons for a lighter sentence. Before the prosecution could give the jury a recommended sentence, Goines suffered an apparent medical emergency and was rushed to a nearby hospital, which led Judge Veronica Nelson to end proceedings for the day. Goines was able to return to court Monday. When court resumed Monday morning, the prosecution asked the jury for a life sentence. Prosecutor Tanisha Manning told the jury “If he can use his police badge to take life, then you can use your jury badge to give life.” Though Goines’ criminal trial has concluded, the Tuttle and Nicholas families’ ongoing federal civil lawsuit against the city of Houston will go to trial starting Nov. 12.
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