Harding Street raid: Protesters demand justice in 5-year anniversary of deadly raid

HOUSTON - Demonstrators gathered in front of the Houston Police Headquarters to advocate for justice in the wake of the deadly Harding Street raid that claimed the lives of homeowners Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. Five years have passed since the incident, and the officer accused of obtaining a false warrant is still awaiting trial.

Dr. David Michael Smith, a representative from the Houston United Front Against Facism, addressed the crowd, stating, "We're not just demanding justice for the Tuttles, but we're also here to demand justice for Jalen Randle, for Nicholas Chavez, and for all the other people allegedly murdered by HPD."

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Multiple organizations convened across from the HPD headquarters, urging accountability and transparency in the case. Officers closely monitored the demonstration from a nearby parking lot.

On January 28, 2019, five HPD narcotics officers executed a no-knock warrant on the Harding Street home owned by Tuttle and Nicholas. Initially, the police reported receiving an informant's tip about black tar heroin being sold in the residence. According to official accounts, Tuttle allegedly fired at officers first, resulting in four officers being shot. Subsequently, officers fatally shot Tuttle and his wife. Investigators later determined no heroin was found in the home.

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Hai Bui of We The People Organize, who had previously called for a conviction four years ago, criticized the handling of the case. Gerald Goines, the former HPD officer accused of mishandling the warrant, continues to face capital murder charges, with legal proceedings at a standstill. The civil case against the city and former police chief Art Acevedo has recently received additional funding through a council vote, amounting to $2.9 million in taxpayer dollars.

"This is a blemish on our department," Houston Police Officers' Union President Doug Griffith told FOX 26 recently. "One officer can deteriorate the trust of the community. And we hate to see that happen." The union clarified that they are not contributing to Goines' legal fees but asserted the District Attorney's Office reported there were narcotics found in the house.

Griffith added, "We just want some resolution, not only for the family but for our department. We have an officer who was critically injured and four others who were shot. They would like it over."

Dr. David Michael Smith emphasized the need for collective action. 

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"Waiting on politicians to solve the problem...it's not going to take care of the problem. We the people, masses of people, ordinary folks from different perspectives and backgrounds, need to come together and demand an end to police violence."

In a related development, Sherman Desselle traveled to Natchitoches, Louisiana, this week to interview the mother of Rhogena Nicholas, who hopes to see justice for her daughter's murder in her lifetime. The interview will be broadcast on FOX 26 this Sunday night, following the 'NEXT LEVEL CHEF' show, on our nightly newscast.