Lawyers hash out jury instructions ahead of Gerald Goines trial's closing arguments
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Monday was one of the most consequential days for the Gerald Goines felony murder trial, though the jury was not in the courtroom.
Both sides rested their case last Friday, and Tuesday will see closing arguments.
On Monday, lawyers hashed out the jury instructions, which means they went line by line on what instructions about the law the jury would have in front of them once deliberations get underway.
The two felony murder charges are at stake against Goines. He's the former Houston Police Department narcotics officer accused of lying to obtain a no-knock search warrant in 2019, which officers executed to tragic results. Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle, the homeowners, were killed, and four officers were injured.
Houston attorney Murray Newman thinks the jury could take a while to deliberate this complex case.
"I think it's going to be a very interesting deliberation process," Newman said. "I think if you took the state and the defense, they would agree with you on almost all the events and how they unfolded. A lot of it is just going to come down to how the jury interprets it."
Murray said the case is more complex because Goines is accused of a felony, allegedly tampering with a government document, that led to the death of the couple. The defense had already stipulated that Goines lied, but they wanted to argue that it was for fraud, a misdemeanor.
For now, opening statements are scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday. ABC13's cameras will be allowed inside for the closing arguments and the verdict.
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