HPD begins investigation into victims advocate's potential misconduct on killer's parole case

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Houston Police Department's crime victim's advocate Andy Kahan is under internal affairs investigation. Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland told Eyewitness News Tuesday afternoon the investigation started September 10.

Kahan is still on the job, but according to a statement from the chief, "Andy Kahan, currently assigned to the criminal investigations command, is currently under an internal affairs investigation for an allegation of misconduct... HPD cannot discuss details of the ongoing investigation until it is complete."

The investigation is looking into claims that Kahan pushed the limits while advocating to keep a confessed killer in prison.

Kahan has long stood by the side of Paul Broussard's mother. Broussard was killed in Montrose in July 1991. Jon Buice was one of 10 men who pleaded guilty to the crime.

It was a case initially labeled a hate crime, and there have been numerous high-profile parole battles since.

In the run-up to the most recent parole hearings, Jon Buice's attorney, Bill Habern, complained to the Travis County district attorney that Kahan had somehow learned information from Buice's confidential prison discipline files. That information is protected by state law.

In 2012, Kahan twice told a producer for an upcoming documentary entitled, "Where's Heaven" he got the information from a state representative.

Once the DA started asking questions, the producer says Kahan told her he lied in the interviews about the information at issue. The DA did not charge anyone.

Kahan refused to speak with Eyewitness News about the allegations.

We will update this investigation as soon as we learn the results of the HPD internal affairs review. By HPD rule, the department has up to six months to complete it.

Find Ted on Facebook at ABC13TedOberg or on Twitter at @tedoberg

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