Officer charged over actions in shooting
A grand jury on Thursday indicted a former Houston Police Department officer for his actions earlier this year when he caught and shot a man who allegedly burglarized the officer’s home, District Attorney Kim Ogg announced, adding that her 6-month-old administration is focused on police accountability.
Bruce Johnson faces a misdemeanor assault charge and a felony charge of tampering with evidence.
HPD Chief Art Acevedo expressed disappointment in the then-officer’s actions but touted the role of a new investigative unit in gathering the evidence that led to Johnson’s prosecution, promising “transparency and accountability.”
At an afternoon news conference, Ogg said the charges represent a new commitment to police accountability.
Johnson was off-duty but wearing his uniform on Feb. 16 when he confronted Derek Carr, who allegedly had robbed Johnson’s family home in northwest Houston’s Acres Homes neighborhood.
Prosecutors in the case said Carr was carrying Johnson family belongings as well as a 16inch metal tool. Carr, 42, is held in the Harris County Jail and faces a burglary charge — the 11th time he has been charged with burglary since 1992, according
to court records.
The two got into a physical altercation. Johnson shot Carr once in the arm and once in the back, Ogg said.
A bystander’s video recorded Johnson after the shooting as he kicked the wounded Carr about 10 times, prosecutor Jamie Reyna said.
Photo evidence also showed that Johnson moved the metal tool, which Ogg said was a clear effort to tamper with the scene.
“He moved a critical piece of evidence,” Ogg said. “It wasn’t a mistake. There’s not a question (about the) intent.”
A Harris County grand jury on Thursday returned a felony charge of tampering with evidence and a misdemeanor assault charge for the kicking. Ogg said the grand jury declined to indict Johnson on an aggravated assault charge for the shooting.
The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in state prison, but Ogg said Johnson likely would avoid time behind bars because his clean criminal record makes him eligible for probation.
Ogg said Thursday’s charges represent her administration’s commitment to holding law enforcement officers accountable.
“Our law applies to every person in Harris County, and our law will be equally applied to all people, including police officers,” Ogg said, adding that her office will seek faster turnaround on such civil-rights investigations.
Thursday’s charges come just two weeks after a grand jury indicted a Harris County sheriff’s deputy and her husband on murder charges in the death of John Hernandez, who died by strangulation after a fight with the deputy’s husband.
In a statement, Acevedo said the department was “extremely disappointed in the actions of this former employee,” who retired in March after 23 years with the department.
Acevedo pointed to the role of the Special Investigations Unit he created to examine “critical cases.”
“While the circumstances in this case on the day of occurrence suggested no wrongdoing, a proper impartial investigation by HPD SIU lead to the discovery of facts and evidence resulting in the indictment of this former employee,” Acevedo said. “The Houston Police Department remains committed to transparency and accountability.”
Court records did not list an attorney for Johnson.
The Houston Police Officers’ Union does not comment on cases of former employees who are no longer officers.