Borris Miles

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Borris L. Miles [1] (born 1965, Democrat) is a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 146[2]. Miles was elected in 2006, defeating the 26 year incumbent Democrat, Al Edwards.[3] He was assigned to the Government Reform[4] and Licensing and Administrative Procedures[5] Committees of the Eightieth Texas Legislature. In 2008, Representative Miles ran for reelection but was defeated in his district's Democratic Primary by the resurgent Al Edwards.

Miles drew attention in March of 2007 when he removed two paintings that he found offensive from a display in the state capitol. The display, in keeping with Capitol regulations, had been organized by the anti-death penalty group Texas Moratorium Network and sponsored by a fellow representative. Miles said he found the paintings offensive "as a black man" and "as a Christian." [6] "We should not prevent the display of art," Miles said afterwards. "But there have to be limits." [7] A representative of the Texas Moratorium Network said that the group was grateful for the extra attention for their art show, but also said "I'll ask him to talk to the preservation board first if a piece of art offends him in the future. We would like that a precedent is not set that anybody can go around taking down things at the Capitol that they object to." [8]

He is a lifelong resident of the district who grew up in Sunnyside. Miles launched his insurance agency from his garage apartment. Miles's office is located in Houston's Third Ward on Almeda, where he purchased and renovated two city blocks and provides professional lease space to seven other minority-owned businesses and their employees.

Miles attended Yates High School and graduated from the Houston High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. He received the Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminal Science from Sam Houston State University. He has two children, Justus and Faith^[1] and attends Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.

On July 8, 2007, Miles noticed two men trying to burglarize his under-construction house at 3742 South MacGregor Way, near the intersection of South MacGregor Way and Scott Street ^[2], at around 7:30 P. M. The two men wished to steal copper and construction materials. Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties stated that Miles yelled at the burglars and one burglar, 55-year old Bruce Toler, threw a pocket knife at Miles. Miles (a former Houston Police officer), licensed to carry a concealed handgun, shot Toler in the lower left leg. Toler, with twelve prior criminal convictions, including seven felonies, was taken to Ben Taub Hospital ^[3]. Toler later found his bond doubled to 60,000 United States dollars on July 12 during a probable cause hearing in court. ^[4]

As of January 2008 the Harris County District Attorney's Office is investigating a complaint that state Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston, made threats and brandished a gun at a holiday party in December 2007. According to witnesses, Miles entered a St. Regis Hotel ballroom uninvited, confronting guests, displaying a pistol and forcibly kissing another man's wife.^[5]. As a result of the investigation, the Harris County District Attorney's office issued an arrest warrant on April 14, 2008 for two counts of misdemeanor deadly conduct.^[6] He surrendered at the Harris CountyCourthouse on April 16th and was released on $2000 bail pending trial.^[7].