A Houston attorney is embroiled in a legal battle after being falsely accused of impersonating a prosecutor, a charge that has since been dismissed. On February 21, 2025, Venisha Arnold filed a complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, against several defendants including Joshua Barry and the Post Oak Hotel.
The case revolves around an incident on March 30, 2023, when Arnold was arrested and accused of impersonating a public servant prosecutor by the Public Corruption Division in Harris County. The arrest followed her visit to the Post Oak Hotel on March 21, 2023, where she sought clarification about alleged harassment involving individuals affiliated with the hotel. Arnold claims that her arrest was based on unreliable evidence from a third party and that it was part of a malicious prosecution orchestrated by corrupt law enforcement officials and others intending to harm her career and reputation. She alleges that the accusations were racially motivated and were designed to defame her as a Black attorney with no criminal record.
Arnold's lawsuit seeks redress for malicious prosecution under the Civil Rights Act of 1983 (§ 1983), false arrest under Texas law, and Defamatory Per Se under equity and Texas law. She is demanding punitive damages for career and reputational harm caused by defamatory media coverage of her arrest on KPRC-TV. Arnold argues that material omissions in the arrest warrant prove malicious prosecution by defendants who created misleading affidavits to falsely accuse her. She further accuses former District Attorney Kim Ogg's administration of corruption and political prosecutions that delayed the dismissal of charges against her until January 2025.
In addition to monetary compensation for damages incurred due to missed work opportunities and legal expenses, Arnold seeks compensatory damages for hiring attorneys and reputation management services. Her admission to the Texas Bar remains delayed due to this accusation appearing on background checks. The case is presided over by an unnamed judge in Harris County District Court with Case ID is 202511964.
Venisha Arnold represents herself pro se in this lawsuit.