Ogg accuses fired prosecutors of sabotaging cases in political retribution

Harris County District Attorney-Elect Kim Ogg speaks during a press conference outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Dec. 20,2016 in Houston. Harris County District Attorney-Elect Kim Ogg speaks during a press conference outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Dec. 20,2016 in Houston. Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Ogg accuses fired prosecutors of sabotaging cases in political retribution 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Incoming Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday that she will investigate at least three prosecutors for misuse of official information.

She said the allegations involve prosecutors that are among the 40 staffers who have been told they no longer will work at the state's largest district attorneys office after Ogg is sworn in on Jan. 1.

Ogg said crime victims in at least five cases had contacted her to say prosecutors overseeing their cases called them to say their cases were in jeopardy, or defendants were given lenient plea deals, because of the firings.

"It appears that some of these individuals are sabotaging their own cases," Ogg told reporters at a press conference. "It's the use of victims as pawns by disgruntled employees that shows not just a profound disrespect for other people but a lack of professionalism that won't go unaddressed."

She called on current District Attorney Devon Anderson to investigate and secure the files for prosecutors who may have contacted families with inaccurate information about their cases.

Ogg called the actions "political retribution."

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About the same time as the press conference, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said at Commissioners Court that he had been told about the allegations.

Emmett said the calls were "wrong" and "mean-spirited" and said they need to stop.

"Victims of crimes should not be political pawns, and the mere fact that any of those type of phone calls have occurred is just horrifying," Emmett said.

He also called on Anderson to put a stop to the alleged calls her staffers.

Misusing information gathered by law enforcement is a crime in Texas, and usually is the law cited when police officers use computer networks to run background checks without authorization. The charge, misuse of official information, is a third-degree felony with a punishment ranging from probation to 10 years in prison.

Chronicle reporter Mihir Zaveri contributed to this story.