Convicted former HPD officer Gerald Goines suffers a medical emergency in the courtroom

HOUSTON – The punishment phase of Gerald Goines' murder trial is now on hold after Goines was taken from the courthouse to the hospital.

Several of Goines' relatives screamed in panic as he suffered a medical emergency late Thursday morning in the middle of closing arguments in the sentencing phase.

It was five minutes into the prosecutor's closing argument and Goines stiffened in his seat, his mouth opened slightly and there was a blank look in his eyes.

Judge Veronica Nelson adjourned the proceedings, excused the jury, and as the former Houston police narcotics officer was helped out of the courtroom, he began having trouble breathing and paramedics were called to help.

Goines, who just turned 60 on Wednesday and was convicted of aggravated murder last week, apparently had his heart monitored as he was taken out. He was taken from the courthouse on a stretcher, with EKG electrodes attached to his chest and given oxygen.

This came, interrupting the penalty phase's closing arguments, shortly after defense attorney Nicole Deborde told jurors that Goines was a “broken man… He's an old 60. His health is shattered… five years is more than enough, all together.” with the condemnation he already has to punish a man who will never stop punishing himself until he breathes his last.

However, prosecutor Tanisha Manning urged the jury not to allow themselves to be manipulated. She said investigators uncovered “a pattern of corruption” in which Goines “fed drugs to people in neighborhoods he was supposed to protect.” Manning also called Goines “shameful, conniving, untrustworthy and a corrupt police officer” shortly before his medical episode.

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Deborde says Goines had serious health problems after he and three other officers were shot in 2019 while serving the warrant that killed Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle. For her death, Goines was convicted of aggravated murder for lying to obtain the search warrant for her Harding Street home.

Some of the couple's supporters want Goines to receive the maximum sentence, life in prison.

“Yes. Yes. He took the lives of the other two of my neighbors…that will be an example to the other law enforcement agencies for not protecting and serving the public,” said Joseph, who lives on Harding Street.

Goines, a 34-year veteran of the Houston Police Department, was two weeks away from retirement when the deadly raid occurred.

The former official faces a sentence of five years to life in prison. Final arguments are scheduled to continue at 9 a.m. Monday, provided Goines is released from the hospital by then.