Executive Summary
- Charges Dismissed: A Galveston County grand jury declined to indict two Texas City employees, clearing them of charges.
- Allegations: The defendants were accused of online impersonation and harassment targeting a La Marque city council member.
- Legal Outcome: The "No Bill" decision indicates insufficient evidence was found to proceed to trial.
LA MARQUE, Texas — Two Texas City municipal employees previously arrested on allegations of online impersonation targeting a La Marque city official have been cleared of criminal charges following a grand jury review. The decision effectively ends the legal pursuit against Derrick Miller and Jennifer Laird regarding the specific accusations lodged last year.
Miller and Laird were taken into custody in June and September of last year, respectively, in connection with a fraudulent social media account. Authorities had alleged that Miller created and operated a fake Facebook profile utilizing the name and likeness of La Marque Council Member Joseph Lowry. According to the original arrest affidavit cited by police investigators, the inquiry began last April after Lowry discovered the counterfeit account. Investigators stated that they traced the IP address associated with the profile to Miller.
Laird had faced a separate charge of online harassment related to the investigation. The case was subsequently referred to the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to a grand jury, a standard procedure for felony-level evaluations in the state.
In a statement regarding the outcome, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the grand jury’s decision. "The District Attorney presented all of the evidence and requested an indictment consistent with the evidence, the Grand Jury decided to issue a No Bill," the office stated. This determination means the jurors did not find sufficient probable cause to proceed with a formal indictment.
It is important to note that under the U.S. justice system, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, a presumption that remains intact as the charges are dismissed.
Procedural Conclusion
The issuance of a "No Bill" serves as a critical checkpoint in the judicial process, indicating that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to convince a majority of grand jurors that a crime was likely committed by the accused. While a grand jury decision does not constitute a verdict of innocence in the same manner as a trial acquittal, it functionally halts the prosecution and results in the dropping of charges unless significant new evidence warrants a re-submission of the case. This outcome underscores the burden of proof required even at the preliminary stages of felony proceedings.
