With the help of a confidential informant, Houston Police officer Gerald Goines obtained a search warrant to confirm the sale of narcotics from a home on Harding Street in late January.
When officers entered the home on the evening of January 28th, gunfire broke out almost instantly.
The resulting raid left two dead and five officers injured.
Goines later named his informants to investigators. Those investigators learned that though the informants had worked with Goines on other cases, they hadn’t worked with him for the warrant that resulted in two shooting deaths.
“It appears there are some material untruths and lies” in Goines’ initial search warrant affidavit for the home, HPD Chief Art Acevedo said during a press conference Friday.
“No matter what we end up with here we know we have a criminal violation already — and serious criminal violation — by the individual that prepared that affidavit,” Acevedo continued. “When we prepare a document to go into somebody’s home ... it has to be truthful, it has to be honest, it has to be absolutely factual.”
Acevedo added that there was a “high probability there will be a criminal charge.” The police chief said that the extent of the crime and the exact policies violated are the subject of ongoing investigation.
Goines, who was injured in the shooting, is currently undergoing treatment. Nicole DeBorde, Goines’ attorney who told the network that her client’s jaw is wired shut, criticized Acevedo’s comments as irresponsible.
Goines will be relieved of duty when discharged from the hospital.
DISCUSSION
The Wire is the greatest show ever made, but damn. Do we gotta imitate it?