HOUSTON, Texas – Questions continue to swirl around the release of a violent sexual assault suspect at the University of Houston, as law enforcement agencies and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office shift responsibility over the handling of the case.
The suspect, Eric Brown, was arrested last Friday after allegedly holding a woman at knifepoint and sexually assaulting her in the Welcome Center garage at UH. Despite the serious allegations, Brown was released from jail shortly after his arrest due to an apparent delay in filing formal charges.
Our news partner ABC13 has spent days pressing officials for answers regarding how Brown walked free. Even University of Houston-Clear Lake criminology professor Kimberly Dodson expressed confusion over the missteps.
“This person should still be incarcerated,” Dodson said.
Arrest and Immediate Release
Police radio transmissions from Friday night reveal that officers identified Brown near a METRORail station about six hours after the attack. When approached, he reportedly resisted arrest, prompting officers to use a taser to subdue him.
However, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office initially declined to pursue charges related to resisting arrest and assaulting an officer, leading to Brown’s release just hours later. The UH Police Department (UHPD) has since confirmed that officers informed prosecutors of Brown’s sexual assault charge at the time of his arrest.
In a statement, a UH spokesperson said, “The probable cause for the arrest of the individual taken into custody Friday, Feb. 7, was the sexual assault charge. This information was disclosed to the District Attorney’s office.”
District Attorney’s Response
On Thursday night, the DA’s office defended its actions, stating that prosecutors were not initially presented with sexual assault charges, though officers had mentioned Brown as a possible suspect.
“The prosecutors at the Harris County District Attorney’s Intake Division were not initially presented charges regarding sexual assault,” the statement read. “After further review, members of the HCDAO Adult Sexual Assault Division contacted law enforcement to determine the status of the sexual assault investigation, and the decision was made to file charges of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery.”
The DA’s office is now working with law enforcement to ensure Brown’s arrest, and the decision to decline the initial charges is under review.
Breakdown in Communication?
Dodson believes a key oversight may have contributed to Brown’s release.
“If officers told prosecutors about the resisting arrest incident, they should’ve had questions,” she said. “That would be a red flag to me—’Oh, this guy’s only being booked for resisting arrest.’ What happened?”
The case also highlights broader challenges for smaller campus police agencies like UHPD, which does not handle violent rape cases frequently. According to state data, UHPD investigated 13 sexual offenses last year, compared to over 2,400 handled by the Houston Police Department (HPD).
“Smaller agencies typically do not have the resources,” Dodson told ABC13 Houston. “They don’t have a crime lab. They don’t have connections with people who might be crime technicians.”
UH has since sought assistance from other agencies, including HPD, though it has not specified how those partnerships are being utilized.
Student Safety Concerns
Compounding frustrations, UH promptly notified students about Brown’s arrest on Saturday morning—only to later inform them that he had been released and his whereabouts were unknown.
Now, with charges finally filed, law enforcement is actively working to locate Brown. However, the confusion surrounding his release raises serious concerns about gaps in the legal process, leaving many questioning whether a preventable mistake has put the community at risk.
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