Murder charges dropped against disgraced HPD officer Gerald Goines at center of Harding Street raid

A judge has dismissed two murder indictments against the former Houston police officer implicated in the botched Harding Street raid of 2019.

Judge Veronica Nelson issued the ruling on Tuesday following arguments from Gerald Goines’ attorney, Nicole DeBorde, who contended that the indictments were inadequately written.

Prosecutors allege that Goines fabricated information about drug activity to secure a no-knock warrant, resulting in the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas during the raid.

The indictments charge Goines with tampering with a government record. However, DeBorde argued in a motion to dismiss that the indictments failed to specify the exact tampering laws Goines allegedly violated.

Goines still faces six other charges in Harris County related to the raid, as well as federal civil rights charges.

In response to the ruling, attorney Mike Doyle, representing the Nicholas family, expressed disappointment, emphasizing their ongoing pursuit for justice.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office issued a statement expressing dismay at the judge’s decision, characterizing it as a delay tactic by the defense and affirming their commitment to seeking justice for the victims of the Harding Street raid.