Lawsuit filed by Tarrant County inmate Anthony Johnson's family dismissed
FORT WORTH, Texas - A district court judge dismissed a lawsuit from the family of a man who died in the Tarrant County jail last year.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Dismissed
What's new:
The family of Anthony Johnson, Jr. sued Tarrant County and several jailers for his wrongful death.
Johnson, a 31-year-old Marine veteran, died on April 21, 2024, while in custody at the Tarrant County jail.
The lawsuit alleged unconstitutional use of force, failure to train employees, and failure to provide medical care.
However, U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor ruled on Friday that Johnson’s family failed to provide enough evidence to support those allegations.
Judge O'Connor also dismissed the claims against six jailers, ruling they were not responsible for Johnson's death.
Tarrant County jailers fired again after being charged with inmate's murder
The two Tarrant County jailers who are facing charges for the death of an inmate have been fired again.
What they're saying:
Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said he is grateful the judge was able to see through the false and misleading accusations made against him, his detention officers, and the county.
"Anyone can file a lawsuit and make unfounded claims against a person or organization," Sheriff Waybourn said. "Fortunately, our justice system requires evidence to support those allegations."
The other side:
Johnson's family responded to the dismissal through their attorney. They said they are disappointed by the court's decision.
"The family remains optimistic and will continue to fight. They reviewed the entire video, which still has not been released to the public in its entirety. After watching the incident, they know without a doubt that the jailers failed to assist Anthony despite his pleas for help," said Attorney Daryl Washington.
Washington also called Sheriff Waybourn's comments irresponsible.
"Sheriff Waybourn issued statements regarding the wrongful death of Anthony Johnson, Jr. that are not only irresponsible, but inaccurate, and shows just how out of touch Waybourn is with reality. It is clear that Sheriff Waybourn will say just about anything, even if he knows it not to be true, to deflect from the wrongful conduct taking place at the Tarrant County Jail. The allegations in the Plaintiffs’ lawsuit are supported by several witnesses and a fifteen-minute video that Sheriff Waybourn continues to hide behind," he said.
Anthony Johnson’s Death
The backstory:
Johnson died after officials said he got into a struggle with corrections officers during a routine contraband check.
A video clip then shows one jailer putting a knee on Johnson’s back. He was also pepper sprayed, according to a news release.
VIDEO: Jailer kneels on Tarrant County inmate
31-year-old Anthony Ray Johnson died on April 21 following a struggle with corrections officers at the Tarrant County Jail. Two jailers were fired on Thursday because of the incident.
"I can't breathe," Johnson can be heard saying in the video.
Tarrant County Medical Examiner determined he died from asphyxia, both mechanical and chemical. His death was then ruled a homicide, and two jailers were charged with murder.
Tarrant County inmate's family speaks after jailers charged with murder
Family members of a man who died after a struggle at the Tarrant County Jail will speak publicly Tuesday for the first time since two jailers involved in the incident were arrested.
Johnson was in jail because he was accused of wielding a knife at a motorist while standing in a roadway.
His family said the jail was aware that he had a mental health illness, and he suffered from schizophrenia.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, a news release from the family's attorney, and past news coverage.