EX-DRUG DEALER GUILTY IN SHOOTING OF OFFICER

Houston police Officer Vonda Higgins went to court Wednesday to finish the
job she started the morning of Feb. 4, when a drug dealer fired the shot
that paralyzed her.

"I did my job and I'm still trying to do a good job," said Higgins as she
left state District Judge Mary Bacon's court in a motorized wheelchair after
testifying against the man who shot her -- Robert Demond Lavern.

Later, after deliberating about two hours, jurors found Lavern, 21, guilty
of aggravated assault of a public servant. He could get life in prison for
firing at Higgins and her partner, Officer Ralph Chaison, during an
undercover drug buy that went bad at a West Branch apartment complex.

With a police escort and sirens wailing, Higgins arrived at the courthouse
in a bus provided by Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack.

Higgins, who joined HPD in 1984, told jurors she and Chaison were at the
complex to buy illegal drugs but not to arrest anyone that day.

Higgins sat in a truck nearby as Chaison paid Lavern $20 for a rock of crack
cocaine. As Chaison walked away, Lavern told him to put the rock in his
mouth to prove he wasn't a police officer.

When Chaison refused, Lavern pulled a pistol from his waistband, testimony
showed. The officer shot first and wounded Lavern.

Higgins got out of the truck to draw fire away from Chaison. Then she fired
at Lavern, who shot back at her.

"I started hearing pings on the truck, and I was I thinking I needed to move
when I was hit," Higgins told jurors. "I don't remember how many shots I
fired. It seemed like it was in slow motion, but it was really fast."

Hit in the neck, Higgins fell to the ground. She was in the hospital for
more than two months. She remains paralyzed, but has some movement in her
arms, neck and upper body.

In court, she was composed as she pointed to Lavern and identified him as
the man who shot her.

Lavern, who had fled the scene, avoided eye contact with Higgins and stared
at the table in front of him.

Higgins said later she is doing "pretty good" and hopes to return to her
police career.

Lavern will return to court today for the punishment phase of his trial.

Checked-by: Don Beck