No indictment for fired deputy in evidence-destruction case

A former Harris County deputy constable will not face criminal charges in a case involving the destruction of as many as 21,500 pieces of evidence, his lawyer confirmed on Friday.

On Friday, a Harris County grand jury took no action against Chris Hess, a former corporal with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office.

"They didn't find any evidence of a crime," said Hess' attorney, Burt Springer. "He's excited. This weight is no longer on his shoulders."

Harris County prosecutors said the destruction of the evidence led to erroneous jailing or convictions of more than 150 defendants. Springer said his client, who was later fired, was singled out for punishment even though another deputy who has since retired was in charge.

"He wasn't in control of this," Springer said.

While the grand jury's decision not to indict him means Hess will not face any jail time, he won't be returning to Precinct 4 because there is no option to appeal the termination. Springer said Hess hopes to find a position with another department.

"He looks forward to continuing on in law enforcement," he said.