Ex-Houston Police Officer Gets 60 Years in Prison in Drug Raid Killings
Ex-Houston Police Officer Gets 60 Years in Prison in Drug Raid Killings
    Posted on 10/08/2024
A former Houston police officer who lied to obtain a warrant for a drug raid that led to the shooting deaths of two people was sentenced on Tuesday to 60 years in prison for felony murder in a case that unveiled corruption in the city’s Police Department and drew scrutiny from federal officials.

The former officer, Gerald Goines, 61, appeared solemn in the courtroom as he stood and listened to the jury, which began deliberating on Monday and decided on a sentence about midday on Tuesday. They also ordered that Mr. Goines pay a $10,000 fine.

Prosecutors had asked the jury to sentence Mr. Goines to life in prison, the maximum possible term, while his lawyers had recommended a five-year sentence, the minimum possible, The Houston Chronicle reported.

Kim Ogg, the Harris County district attorney, said in a statement after the sentencing that the verdict was “one of the most historic in Harris County.”

“Never before has a police officer been convicted of murder for actions taken while acting under color of law,” Ms. Ogg said. “We are incredibly grateful to the brave jurors in this case and to the families of Goines’s victims, and we believe this is a great victory for the thousands of brave and honest men and women who serve in law enforcement all around Harris County.”

Nicole DeBorde Hochglaube, a lawyer for Mr. Goines, said in an email on Tuesday that he planned to appeal his conviction.

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