Harris County
Jason Spencer, 50, is accused of shoving his son against a bedroom wall and then causing him to fall down stairs by throwing a plastic gun case at his back on the night of Sept. 15, 2023. Spencer is on administrative leave from his role as chief of staff during an ongoing internal review, Gonzalez said.
| Posted on
Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media
The chief of staff for Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez was arrested this week and charged with injury to a child, a felony, after allegedly assaulting his teenage son during an altercation last fall at his Houston home.
Jason Spencer, 50, is accused of shoving his son against a bedroom wall and then causing him to fall down stairs by throwing a plastic gun case at his back on the night of Sept. 15, 2023, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in a Harris County court. The boy, who was 14 years old at the time, sustained bruises and scratches on his face, arm and back, court records show.
An investigator for the Houston Police Department cited statements from the teen, his mother and Spencer in the probable cause affidavit, along with medical records from Texas Children's Hospital that included a statement from a physician who examined the boy on the night of the alleged assault.
"The physician's statement ... included that permanent physical damage or death could result if the complainant remains in the situation where the injuries occurred, and that he could suffer additional and even fatal injuries in the future," the HPD officer wrote in the affidavit. "The physician's statement also indicated the complainant's condition is consistent with abuse and/or neglect."
Spencer was arrested Tuesday and subsequently released from jail on a $2,500 bond, court records show. As part of his bond conditions, he must not have any "threatening, harassing or assaultive contact" with his son and "may only use weapons as required by his employment as a law enforcement officer."
Spencer, who has worked for the sheriff's office for more than six years, is on administrative leave from his role as chief of staff for the sheriff, according to a Wednesday statement from Gonzalez, who said Spencer has been assigned other duties amidst an ongoing internal review.
"While I am not aware of all the facts in this case, I've known and worked with Jason for years and based on what we know at this time, I have every confidence that the charges will not be sustained," Gonzalez said. "I have faith in the investigative and judicial processes and will continue to monitor the situation."
Murray Newman, the defense attorney hired by Spencer, said in a statement his client has been cooperative with investigating authorities and "loves his children."
"We believe that once these allegations are more closely examined the facts will show that he simply did not break the law," Newman added.
Newman also suggested that a case in family court might have had a bearing on the criminal charge against Spencer, saying, "It is an unfortunate occurrence that in some family court cases, a party will try to use the criminal justice system to gain an advantage in a non-criminal case and that is what we believe has happened here." Spencer's ex-wife, who is the mother of his son, requested a protective order against him after the alleged assault, court records show.
Newman's suggestion was disputed in a statement from Jeremy Odom, a representative of the family of Spencer's ex-wife. He said, "Victim blaming is a cowardly move when the Harris County District Attorney has already spoken with charges."
Odom also criticized Gonzalez for defending Spencer.
"Unless Ed Gonzalez was present to see this minor child abused, we as an entire family see no reason he should make any affirmative determinations prior to due process of law except to throw his political power around very inappropriately," Odom said. "We will let the photographs, history of domestic violence and evidence in full speak for itself. And we will not be bullied by the sheriff of Harris County trying to politically protect someone who has caused great harm to others."
Spencer is alleged to have gotten mad at his son over an argument the teen had with his brother, according to the probable cause affidavit, which says a physical altercation then ensued. Spencer is accused of slamming his son into a wall, causing the teen's elbow to hit the wall and put a hole in it, and the boy then hit his head on a bed frame as he fell to the ground, court documents show.
The teen told police he later fell down stairs and landed on his face after Spencer allegedly struck him in the back with the plastic gun case, according to court records, which show the boy subsequently asked his brother to take photographs of his injuries.
In a statement to police by Spencer's ex-wife, she said Spencer had asked her to come get their son because he was having a "meltdown" and that he also had asked her not to take the teen to a hospital that night.
Disclosure: The reporter for this story has a professional relationship with Jason Spencer and has previously included him as a job reference on his resume.
