Rhogena Nicholas and her husband Dennis Tuttle were killed along with their dog when a tactical team raided their home on January 28, 2019. An officer alleged that a criminal informant had bought heroin from a man in Tuttle and Nicholas’s house. The officer also claimed the man had a gun.
Last year, six agents were charged, including Gerald Goines, who is accused of lying to get a warrant, and Steven Bryant, who is accused of tampering with government documents.
Six other agents were charged on Monday, according to a statement from Ogg. Those agents face a variety of charges, including murder, tampering with government files, and participating in organized criminal activities.
Both families said that Tuttle and Nicholas were not involved in drug sales. The couple were known and loved by their neighbors, according to the Tuttle family’s complaint.
Mike Doyle, co-adviser to the Nicholas family, said at a press conference on Thursday that the complaint was filed because the statute of limitations is almost over.
Lawyers say families have searched for answers for two years
The Nicholas family’s complaint names the City of Houston, Police Chief Art Acevedo and 13 officers as defendants. The Nicholas family’s complaint includes federal civil rights claims against the individual officials for excessive lethal force and unlawful search and seizure, a municipal liability claim against the city and Acevedo, in addition to state law claims including wrongful death and survival.
The Nicholas family has been asking for physical evidence, a statement and an apology from Acevedo for 18 months, Doyle told CNN by phone Thursday.
“ They have been placed in a position where the only way we can get to the bottom or the top of what is really going on and continues in this city and with this police force, is by filing a civil suit. , ‘Said Doyle.
Rhogena Nicholas’s brother John Nicholas said the death has been severe for his 86-year-old mother, who has already survived Covid-19. He said she would hold out until she gets answers about the deaths of her daughters.
‘I think the hardest part is for my mother. She still wants to know exactly what happened, ”said John Nicholas.
The complaint filed by the Tuttle estate cites the city and 13 officers as defendants. The estate has raised claims including unlawful search and seizure, excessive and deadly force, and municipal liability.
Boyd Smith, the Tuttle family’s attorney, told CNN on Thursday that Dennis Tuttle, 59, was a US Navy veteran who was taking medication for an epileptic condition. The complaint states that he had no criminal record.
“We spent two years trying to get this family to answer their questions and the city has stopped us every time,” said Smith. “If Dennis shot cops, it’s because – as a law-abiding citizen with no heroin in his house – he thought his home was under attack by criminals. He had a right to fight back if that happened. ‘
“I have often said that the other officers involved in the incident, including the officer indicted today, were not involved in obtaining the order and responded appropriately to the deadly threat posed to them while on duty, Acevedo said, adding that all current active officers charged were relieved.
Mayor Sylvester Turner told local media on Thursday that he would not draw any conclusions on the case as it is under investigation. He did say that there are “practices, policies and procedures” in Houston and that the raid is a business “with many intricacies.”
The mayor also said he felt it was unfair to draw conclusions from any organization based on the actions of a few.
“There are a lot of complexities and I think you have to be very careful before drawing any conclusions,” said Turner. “At the end of the day we’ll see where the facts end up.”