FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal judge has dismissed Tarrant County and six other defendants from a civil lawsuit filed by the family of Anthony Johnson Jr., a Marine veteran who died in April at the county jail. The case, however, will proceed against nine jail employees directly involved in the incident.
Johnson’s death, ruled a homicide by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, occurred following a contraband search in his cell. The medical examiner cited mechanical and chemical asphyxiation as the causes of death, stemming from an altercation that was partially captured on video released by the sheriff’s office.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the county itself was not directly responsible for Johnson’s death, linking the tragedy instead to the actions of specific jail staff. O’Connor’s decision pointed out that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how county policies directly contributed to the violation of Johnson’s constitutional rights.
In the legal proceedings, attention centers on two jailers, Rafael Moreno and Joel Garcia, who are faced with murder charges and were terminated after their indictment. Moreno, captured on video kneeling on Johnson’s back, and Garcia, who was a supervisory officer at the time, are among those the lawsuit continues to target.
Daryl Washington, the Dallas-based civil rights attorney representing Johnson’s family, expressed disappointment with the dismissals but affirmed the ongoing commitment to seek justice. Washington highlighted that essential facts remain unchanged, asserting Johnson’s death was not simply an unfortunate event but a wrongful act of murder.
The incident reportedly escalated during a routine search, with Johnson declaring multiple times that he was unable to breathe — a claim supported by portions of the video made public. Despite these pleas, the video suggests a lack of adequate intervention from medical staff at the scene.
Krishnaveni Gundu, the director of the Texas Jail Project, voiced concern that the county’s dismissal in the civil lawsuit might be misinterpreted as a validation of current jail practices. She underscored the need for ongoing scrutiny of the policies and operations within the Tarrant County jail system to prevent further tragedies.
The case brings to light broader issues regarding the treatment of inmates, particularly those with mental health issues. Johnson, who suffered from a serious mental illness, was held in general population rather than receiving specialized care, a decision that has been criticized in the wake of his death.
This legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of a community and a nation grappling with issues of criminal justice reform, especially in the oversight and accountability of detention facilities.
As this complex and emotionally charged case continues to develop, the community and the family of Anthony Johnson Jr. await answers and justice, hoping for systemic changes that can prevent future incidents of this nature.
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