Harris County DA Dismisses Charges Against 8 Houston Officers in Harding Street Raid

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday the dismissal of 17 charges against eight Houston Police Department officers linked to the 2019 Harding Street raid.

Charges Dropped Due to Insufficient Evidence

In a statement, District Attorney Sean Teare said the decision followed a thorough review of the facts, which found there was insufficient evidence to prove any of the alleged crimes beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Nothing about these dismissals changes the fact that the Harding Street raid should have never happened,” Teare said. “As the chief law enforcement officer of Harris County, I want people to know that we remain steadfast in our commitment to uncovering and addressing corruption wherever it may be found – but we will always be guided by the facts, not politics.”

Teare criticized the previous administration for keeping the charges active, saying it was done to generate headlines at the expense of the officers’ reputations. He stated the cases collapsed under “the weight of the truth.”

Officers Lived Under ‘Cloud of Suspicion’

Teare acknowledged the four-year ordeal endured by the officers and their families, saying they were unfairly subjected to an investigation that sought to wrongfully link them to crimes committed by former officer Gerald Goines.

The Harding Street raid, conducted on January 28, 2019, resulted in the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. The operation was later found to be based on false information provided by Goines, who is facing state and federal charges.