HOUSTON, Texas – Judge Veronica Nelson, the judge presiding over the highly-anticipated Gerald Goines murder trial, held a hearing Friday afternoon regarding the bombshell that was dropped during former Houston Police Department narcotics officer Steven Bryant’s testimony.
Judge Nelson requested Goines’ attorneys, the prosecution team, Sergeant Clemente Reyna and his attorney to answer questions regarding to non-departmental body-worn camera video Bryant testified Reyna had on the day of the deadly Harding Street Raid.
Bryant, who is a former Houston Police Department narcotics officer and Goines’ former partner, took the stand for most of the day Wednesday.
In 2021, Bryant pleaded guilty to federal charges for destruction, alteration, or falsification of government records and is awaiting sentencing.
Bryant, a key witness due to his close relationship with Goines, revealed new developments, including the use of a previously undocumented body camera during the raid. Bryant testified that following the Jan. 28, 2019 raid on Harding Street, fellow narcotics Officer Felipe Gallegos (also on the scene that day) informed him that their HPD narcotics sergeant, Clemente Reyna, had worn a personal body camera during the raid.
The camera and video appeared to have never been collected by the District Attorney’s Office or the Houston Police Department.
After the shocking news discovery, Judge Nelson requested the hearing with the attorneys and Sgt. Reyna.
Judge Nelson asked Reyna’s attorney if she was aware of or had seen any body camera footage from her client from that night. The attorney responded with “no.”
Reyna’s attorney then mentioned reviewing footage of Bryant’s extensive interview with the District Attorney’s Office in 2020. She questioned the state’s “good faith” in asking Bryant whether anyone from Squad 15 had a body-worn camera during the raid.
The judge inquired if Bryant, in any of his interviews with the prosecutors, had stated that he personally saw the body-worn camera on Sgt. Reyna or viewed the alleged footage. State attorney Tanisha Manning responded that Bryant had not personally seen the body camera, but one of Goine’s attorneys interjected, suggesting that the videos did not clearly indicate whether Bryant had actually seen the footage.
Judge Nelson concluded that there was insufficient evidence to confirm the existence of the body-worn camera.
The defense requested that the prosecutors prepare a statement to be read to the jury clarifying that while Bryant testified about the body-worn camera video, he did not personally see the camera or any related footage.
Sgt. Reyna has been subpoenaed to testify in the trial. His attorney is asking the state to give her client immunity from answering questions about the body-worn camera. The DA’s office has not decided on whether they will grant immunity or not.
Sgt. Reyna, who retired from the Houston Police Department, had previously faced charges in 2019 for tampering with government records and theft by a public servant.