Officers from various law enforcement agencies around the county are complaining that Harris County DA Kim Ogg is too lenient on criminals. They complain that the Assistant DA’s in the Intake division are refusing to accept legitimate cases because of their distrust of officers.
Here is an example of a case where the Intake ADA refused to accept charges.
I redacted all of the identifying information. You can scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to see the drugs and paraphernalia that the officers found.
The individual that is referenced in the report as the homeowner has the following previous criminal record in Harris County:
| Date | Charge | Judgement |
|---|---|---|
| 9/17/2005 | Poss, Marijuana, 2-4 oz | 60 days county jail |
| 1/21/2006 | Evade arrest motor vehicle | 2 yrs deferred adjudication, 12 months state jail |
| 6/24/2007 | Poss, Marijuana, < 2 oz | 18 days county jail |
| 6/24/2007 | Poss, CS < 28 grams (Xanax) | 18 days county jail |
| 6/28/2010 | Poss, CS w/Intent to distribute | combined with plea bargain on 10/30/2010 |
| 6/28/2010 | Poss, Marijuana, 4 oz – 5 lbs | combined with plea bargain on 10/30/2010 |
| 10/30/2010 | Poss, Marijuana, 4 oz – 5 lbs | 14 months state jail |
| 1/15/2015 | Poss, Marijuana, < 2 oz | 20 days county jail |
| 2/9/2015 | Poss, Marijuana, < 2 oz | 20 days county jail |
| 12/11/2015 | Poss, Marijuana, < 2 oz | 30 days county jail |
I don’t know if he has a record outside of Harris County.
As for the subject of the warrant, she is wanted for violation of probation. She was on probation for burglary of a vehicle and abuse of the elderly, a female over 65.
I certainly am not qualified to comment on the law. I’ve asked several people that are qualified to review the case. All say that the officers had probable cause to be there and to enter the garage because of the call from dispatch. One said that he didn’t think probable cause existed for the large bag of weed because it was in a closet, even though the closet door was open and the weed was in plain view.
Again, I don’t know. Obviously, I supported Ms. Ogg for DA very strongly and think that for the most part she has kept her campaign promises and I certainly do not think that she is “anti-police”. I do wonder if the attitude around the office is such that the ADA’s are nervous and are lining up on the side of the suspected criminals because of that. I think it is a question that Ms. Ogg needs to ask to make certain that the law abiding citizens are protected.
Regardless of our opinions on the legalization of marijuana, it is still very much against the law in Texas, especially in these amounts. Would you want this type of activity occurring in the driveway next to yours?