JIM LEITNER

FIRST ASSISTANT

CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER

1201 FRANKLIN, SUITE 600

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-1901

PATRICIA R. LYKOS

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

April 6, 2009

Public Information Office

Donna Hawkins

George Flynn

(713) 755-3320

Bellaire Officer Indicted by Grand Jury

(Houston, Tx) Throughout March and April 2009, after an exhaustive investigation by the Bellaire Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's Office Police Integrity Division, a Harris County Grand Jury received evidence about the New Year's Eve shooting of Robert Tolan by Bellaire police Sergeant Jeffrey Cotton. The Grand Jury was presented with all the relevant facts and evidence in the case.

Today, the Grand Jury returned an indictment of Sergeant Cotton for the first degree felony offense of Aggravated Assault by a Public Servant. The range of punishment for this offense is not less than 5 years, or more than 99 years or life confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division and a fine of up to $10,000 may be assessed.

The case will now be assigned to a Criminal District Court in Harris County.

(END)

Last Updated: 4/6/2009