Tarrant County inmate Anthony Johnson’s cause of death revealed
FORT WORTH, Texas - An inmate’s death at the Tarrant County jail in April was the result of a homicide, an autopsy report showed.
The new report from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office states that 31-year-old Anthony Johnson died from asphyxia, both mechanical and chemical.
Mechanical asphyxia occurs when something or someone prevents a person from breathing. Chemical asphyxia occurs when someone inhales a toxic substance.
Johnson died on April 21 after struggling with corrections officers during a routine contraband check.
Video shows one jailer putting his knee on Johnson’s back. He was also he was pepper sprayed, according to a news release.
"I can't breathe," Johnson can be heard saying in the video.
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office says the finding of chemical asphyxiation can be attributed to the use of the spray, along with the presence of methamphetamine as a contributing factor.
The release of the video prompted community members to call for the prosecution of the jailers involved in the altercation.
In May, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office fired Officer Rafael Moreno, who can be seen on camera putting his knee on Johnson’s back. Lt. Joel Garcia, the supervisor who allegedly delayed getting Johnson medical care and took cellphone video, was also fired.
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Both men were reinstated and placed on administrative leave due to Civil Service Administration guidelines.
"If you're arresting someone, you're fighting them. It's okay to put a knee in a back until you get them restrained," Sheriff Bill Waybourn said. "What you do after that is immediately put them in the recovery position. Immediately. That didn't happen."
The medical examiner is calling Johsnon’s death a homicide.
Johnson’s family released a statement following the release of the autopsy report, saying it only confirmed their suspicions:
"We are aware that the jailers’ unnecessary use of the pepper spray contributed to Anthony’s death. In an extended video that has not been released to the public, we also saw a continuation of his brutalization after he was murdered. There is no denying any of this, so we are not the least bit surprised and no one else should be. We already knew that everyone involved in Anthony’s death needed to be terminated, criminally charged and prosecuted, and now that process should begin. Today’s ruling is only the beginning because there is still so much more that needs to be done, and we will not stop fighting until we reach the finish line."
"Despite the political grandstanding of some, this case will go forward and all corroborated facts will be presented in the halls of Justice," said Sheriff Bill Waybourn in a statement on Friday.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating whether criminal charges should be filed.