Felony Charges Dropped Against Barbie Robinson

The Harris County District Attorney's Office has dismissed four felony indictments against former Harris County Public Health Director Barbie Robinson after an exhaustive review found insufficient evidence to proceed. The charges, which included misuse of official information, tampering with government records, and fraudulent securing of document execution, were related to allegations of improper influence in awarding county contracts to IBM and DEMA Management and Consulting. Investigators found no evidence that Robinson gained personal or financial benefit or attempted to harm the county. Robinson's prior relationships with the contracted companies were determined to be well known and not concealed. The prosecution was dropped because the district attorney's office could not prove the offenses beyond a reasonable doubt. Officials emphasized the requirement for integrity and impartiality in public corruption cases.