Sentencing of former Houston cop Gerald Goines continues, attorneys prepare for closing remarks – Houston Public Media

Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media

The sentencing phase of former Houston police officer Gerald Goines’ murder trial continued Wednesday morning after the former cop was convicted on two counts of felony murder for his role in the Harding Street drug raid in 2019.

Goines was convicted last week after a nearly two-week trial, which was primarily focused on the former officer’s role in the raid. Investigators found that Goines lied to obtain a no-knock warrant to search the home of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas on Jan. 28, 2019. The raid left the couple dead while wounding multiple officers, including Goines.

Prosecutors argued that these lies had directly led to the couple’s deaths – an argument that the jury ultimately agreed with last week. Now, Goines faces up to life in prison.

Witness testimony before sentencing

Throughout the court session on Wednesday, jurors heard testimony from several family members and loved ones in support of Goines and the deceased couple. This was the second day in which witnesses answered questions in an effort to influence the severity of Goines’ sentence.

Jurors heard from Ryan Tuttle, Dennis’ 41-year-old son. He said his father loved his wife and dog, along with his grandkids.

He also told jurors that he first learned about the shooting while watching the news. When he finally realized that his father was dead, Ryan described the moment as “complete and total mysticism.” He said it was hard to believe that his father would be involved, especially considering Tuttle’s strong support of law enforcement.

“My dad was a good man,” he said. “It did not make any sense: the man that I knew versus the man that was being depicted.”

Patricia Nicholas, Rhogena’s sister-in-law, also took the stand. She spoke about Rhogena’s generosity, telling the jurors that she would often help feed her neighbors.

Dennis’ sister, Elizabeth Ferrari, took the stand later in the day. With tissues in hand, she became emotional while discussing the overwhelming impact of her brother’s death. She told jurors that she had to resign from her job because of the allegations against her family. She also lost her life partner, who was highly critical of the couple after the raid.

“I will miss my brother for the rest of my life, no more Christmas, no more phone calls. Nothing,” she said through tears.

The defense team calls their witnesses

Throughout the murder trial, Della Goines sat on the left side of the courtroom every single day to support her brother. On Wednesday, the same day as Goines’ 61st birthday, she finally took the stand.

She described her brother as “a man of god” and “an amazing person.” She also accused prosecutors of creating a false narrative; a misconstrued depiction of the kind of person her brother truly is.

“We all have sinned,” she said. “There’s no one here that’s perfect.”

The defense also called upon Elyse Lanier, the wife of former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier. The family had previously hired Goines on a part-time basis in the mid-90s to help take care of the former mayor as his health declined – he eventually died in 2014. Lanier described Goines as “a gentle giant,” who was beloved by the entire family – so much so that Goines had temporarily lived with the family while the former cop recovered from a previous surgery.

During her testimony, Lanier told jurors that her family didn’t conduct a background check on Goines before hiring him. According to Assistant District Attorney Keaton Forcht, Goines was disciplined by HPD for repeated misconduct, including six incidents involving the accidental shooting of an animal – all of which Lanier said she was unaware of. Still, she maintained that her opinion of Goines remained unchanged.

The defense team also called upon the testimony of members from the Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club — Goines was a member for several years. Defense attorneys also questioned multiple pastors, all of whom spoke highly of Goines. They said they welcomed him into their congregation, even after the raid.

“We treated him like a person — a person who needed God,” said Derrick Davis, a pastor at Grace Church International.

Tiffany Goines, the former officer’s wife, also took the stand. She told jurors that her husband was a “hardworking guy” who frequently volunteered his time in service of others.

“I love him,” she said. “I still think the most of him, that hasn’t changed.”

This was echoed by Goines’ daughter, April Goines, who said her father was “irreplaceable.”

The jury was dismissed just before 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday. Both sides will give closing remarks starting at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, then the jury will decide the fate of Gerald Goines.