HOUSTON – Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Garret Hardin has been indicted on a murder charge in the fatal shooting of Roderick Brooks.
Brooks died on July 8, 2022, after being shot in the back of the neck by Hardin.
According to deputies, Brooks stole from a Dollar General on FM 1960 and pushed the manager at the store.
Hardin pursued Brooks in a foot chase and ended up deploying his Taser. Authorities said while the two men were on the ground, Brooks was able to get ahold of the sergeant’s Taser. That led to Hardin opening fire with his duty weapon, fatally striking Brooks.
Authorities said Brooks posed a threat to the law enforcement officer, however, the family’s attorney, Sadiyah Evangelista Karriem, said several witnesses at the scene, in addition to pictures and videos circulating, paint a different story.
Karriem said witnesses told the family that Brooks was shot in “cold blood.”
It is the Harris County District Attorney’s Office’s policy to present all officer-involved shootings to a grand jury to determine whether probable cause exists to support criminal charges. Harris County grand juries are composed of 12 randomly selected county residents who hear all available evidence in a case, including witnesses. If nine or more grand jurors agree that probable cause exists, they issue a “true bill,” or indictment.
“This process ensures that all such cases are subject to community review at the grand jury and, if necessary, trial level,” a news release from the DA’s office said.
Hardin’s attorney, Justin Keiter, suggests the indictment is politically motivated.
“The DA’s office has decided that Sgt. Garrett Hardin committed murder,” Keiter said. “They’ll say it’s the grand jury but make no mistake this is a political indictment. Kim Ogg all she knows how to do is prosecute the police that is her end-all goal. All she knows how to do is that and nothing else.”
Keiter suggests the district attorney’s office issued a warrant for Hardin’s arrest with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force.
“Instead of them trying to find super violent offenders, they should have to go waste time finding Sergeant Hardin? You know where to find us. We’ll be in court in the morning to surrender. We are not hiding,” he said.
Keiter said Hardin will turn himself in Friday morning.
“We are ready for trial. We are asking for a speedy trial. Our plan is to get to trial as fast as possible,” Keiter said.
If convicted, Hardin faces a sentence ranging from five to 99 years or life in prison.
Brooks’ family released this statement following the announcement of the indictment:
“Today, October 26, 2023, at approximately 1 p.m., the family of Roderick Brooks was personally notified by Harris County District Attorney ADA Candace Freeman outside of the doors of the Harris County Grand Jury that Harris County Sherriff’s Deputy Sgt. Garrett Hardin was True Billed (indicted) on the charge of Murder. Hardin murdered Roderick Brooks execution-style on July 8th, 2022. After waiting over a year for this case to go to a grand jury, the family is relieved that the journey for justice on behalf of Roderick Brooks has begun. They are looking forward to the prosecution of this rogue cop who used his badge and gun under the color of law to murder Roderick Brooks. This is not his first time, but the family prays it will be his last time using his position to exact injustice and the taking of life on anyone else. The family understands this will be a long and arduous journey. However, it has been their faith in God that has kept them. Attorneys for the family are calling for the immediate firing of Sgt. Hardin, along with demanding that the Harris County Sherriff Ed Gonzalez step down from his position for harboring a criminal within their ranks. An ongoing civil suit is also pending.”
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement following the announcement of the indictment:
“The Harris County Sheriff’s Office was notified Thursday that a grand jury returned a murder indictment against Sgt. Garrett Hardin in connection with the July 8, 2022, death of Roderick Brooks. Hardin had been on administrative duty pending his case’s presentation to a grand jury. Now that the grand jury has issued an indictment, Hardin will be relieved of duty. The sheriff’s Administrative Disciplinary Committee will now review the case and recommend possible disciplinary action. The Sheriff’s Office publicly released video footage shortly after the incident incident https://youtu.be/_ewn7CFiHQw.”
RELATED