72-year-old with cancer was unaware HPD raided home he owns

ByMiya Shay KTRK logo

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Cancer patient accused of hold 3.5 pounds of pot in Goines' case

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Willie Gray can barely get around his sister's home these days. His cane or scooter is never far away. The 72-year-old says he's in no shape to deal pot.

"I got medical problems, I ain't got no wind to run no pot," said Gray.

The prostate cancer patient is in such bad health, he has to live with his sister in The Woodlands.

Two weeks ago, he went to visit his old home in Houston's north side. When he got there, police nearby on an unrelated call ran a warrant check. To everyone's surprise, Gray had an outstanding drug warrant and he was arrested.

After spending three days in jail, the senior citizen, who has a feeding tube and can barely walk, was released. That's when his family began piecing together what happened.

Court documents show that in June 2017, a member of Officer Gerald Goines' narcotics squad executed a search warrant on the house that Gray still owns. Nobody was home, but police say they found 3.7 pounds of pot, as well as scales and mail addressed to Gray. That was enough to charge Gray and issue an arrest warrant.

Since he was sick, Gray didn't come in contact with any police until two weeks ago, and had no idea there was even a warrant for his arrest.

"Must be their pot," Gray said in a raspy voice, barely above a whisper. "Or somebody put it in there."

Gray's case is among the 1,400 cases associated with the police work of Officer Goines now under review. On Jan. 28, Goines was the case agent in that botched Harding Street drug raid that killed Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas left four officers, including himself, shot.

Since being relieved of duty, Eyewitness News has talked to at least six people who say Goines either lied in their criminal cases or shot a family member.

They include Brandon Carter, who was literally walking by a police scene and ended up facing drug charges. Then, there is Courtney Jacobs, who just had her drug case dismissed after spending five months in jail for what she says was a bogus drug arrest.

Also on Friday, we spoke with Trevon Cornett, who was sleeping when Goines and his narcotics crew raided his home.

"They were looking for controlled substances in the house," said Cornett, who decided to plead guilty because prosecutors offered him deferred adjudication. He told us he was not guilty of possessing drugs, but did not want to risk the court system.

As for Willie Gray, he's just focused on taking his medicine and staying alive. He would also like to see his drug charges dismissed.

"I can't run no more, I got better sense."

MORE ON THE JAN. 28, 2019 HPD RAID:

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