2 Tarrant County correctional officers charged in Anthony Johnson’s death

FORT WORTH – A Tarrant County grand jury has indicted two correctional officers in connection with the death of Anthony Johnson in the county jail.

Rafael Moreno and Lt. Joel Garcia are charged in connection with the April 21 incident that led to Johnson’s death. Safety video The incident revealed that at least six employees struggled with Johnson and that at least one officer used pepper spray.

The Johnson family’s attorney, Daryl K. Washington, said the charges were justified.

“I think when you see the entire video, most people will realize that a murder charge is the appropriate charge,” Washington told CBS News Texas.

Investigators said the incident stemmed from a routine cell search during which they found a knife and a razor in Johnson’s cell. Tarrant County Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn said Johnson had “superhuman strength when the staff started wrestling with him.

According to investigators, Moreno pressed his knee into Johnson’s back, which violates department policy.

“So, keep him lying on his stomach with your body weight on him. That’s what I mean – “It was a deliberate act against us,” Washington said.

Moreno and his supervisor Garcia were fired, but later reinstated and then placed on leave because their termination was improper.

Earlier this month, the Tarrant County Coroner released Autopsy resultsIt was determined that Johnson’s cause of death was mechanical and chemical asphyxia.

Washington asked why more people were not involved in the case.

“If they weren’t charged, why?” asked Washington, noting that others should have at least been released.

Saginaw police had arrested Johnson two days earlier. He was allegedly standing at an intersection and pointing a knife at a driver. Johnson’s family said he was going through a mental health crisis.

Meanwhile, the Tarrant County Sheriff said the wheels of justice “continue to grind” in this case.

“I have said from the outset that we will hold everyone responsible for Mr Johnson’s death to account and we are doing so,” Waybourn said in a statement.

Waybourn has Protests and pressure to resign following Johnson’s death and other deaths at the prison. Since Waybourn took office, more than 60 inmates have died at the Tarrant County Detention Center.