HOUSTON – Houston City Council will have to vote on increasing the maximum contract for legal services to defend the city and Art Acevedo for what happened during the deadly Harding Street Raid in 2019.
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This week, the council is set to discuss Agenda Item Number 34, which proposes an increase in the maximum contract amount for legal services with the law firm Beck Redden, LLP. The proposal seeks an additional $800,000, raising the total from $2.9 million to $3.7 million, to be drawn from the Property and Casualty Fund.
Houston officials previously increased the budget for legal services from $1.7 million to $2.9 million, and this new proposal further escalates the city’s financial commitment.
The Harding Street raid, a significant event in Houston’s recent history, has been under scrutiny for years. The raid led to the conviction of Gerald Goines, while other officers involved had their cases dismissed by the new district attorney.
The current legal battle focuses on a civil trial involving the families of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, who were killed during the raid.
In a statement, the family of Rhogena Nicholas emphasized their determination to seek justice, despite the city’s ongoing financial and political challenges.
“Unlike other American cities in similar situations, the City of Houston continues to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to cover up the full truth of HPD’s murder of Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle in their own home,” said the family’s attorney Michael Doyle. “Despite new mayors, new police chiefs, new city council members, and a terrible budget deficit, the city remains obsessed with secrecy in this case. The family of Rhogena Nicholas remains committed to seeing justice done, no matter how long it takes.”
As the civil case progresses, there is speculation that former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo may soon testify. Acevedo, who has already provided a sworn statement, was recently served in Colorado, indicating that the case is moving forward.
