The criminal charge against the fired doctor accused of stealing a vial from the COVID-19 vaccine was withdrawn

HOUSTON – KPRC 2 has learned that authorities have dropped the criminal charge against a local doctor accused of stealing a bottle of COVID-19 vaccine.

Paul Doyle, Dr. Hasan Gokal, shared this statement through a representative:

“We appreciate today’s result and will now move our efforts toward an unlawful resolution lawsuit. As I stated publicly last week, an apology from Harris County Public Health and the County District Attorney’s Office of Harris to Dr. Gokal and his family will not be enough.The agency despised the name of this good public official and took away his job for no reason.Presponsible people must do more to do this right. we sincerely hope that this incident does not deter other leading medical professionals from doing everything possible to ensure that vaccines are not wasted. “

KPRC 2 has asked Harris County Health if Gokal will get his job back, but has not received a response from that writing.

Gokal is reportedly facing a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a sentence of up to one year in prison and a $ 4,000 fine. Prior to the prosecution’s dismissal, he was being prosecuted by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for Public Corruption.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement last week that Gokal stole the nine-dose vial while working at the county vaccination site in Lyndsay Lyons Park in Humble on December 29, 2020 .

Ogg said the case against Gokal is not over yet.

“All the evidence will probably be presented to a grand jury and the cause will probably be determined by the grand jury. Judges do not have sole authority, ”Ogg said.

To learn more about this story, read our initial KPRC 2 report.