Death of Tarrant County Jail inmate Anthony Johnson Jr. deemed homicide: Medical Examiner
FORT WORTH – The Tarrant County Medical Examiner deemed Anthony Johnson Jr.'s death a homicide, according to information released on Friday.
Johnson, a 31-year-old former Marine, died in April after a confrontation with corrections officers at the Tarrant County Jail.
"We don't comment on pending investigations," the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office said in an email when asked if charges might be filed against those involved in Johnson Jr.'s death.
Security video from the incident showed at least six employees wrestling with Johnson, and at least one officer using pepper spray.
Chief Medical Examiner Kendall Crowns conducted the autopsy, finding Johnson's cause of death was mechanical and chemical asphyxia. Crowns deemed the manner of death a homicide.
In this context, the term "homicide" means that the death was caused by another person. It is not a legal determination, and no charges have been filed in Johnson's death.
Meanwhile, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office issued a news release about 6:30 p.m. Friday.
"The finding of chemical asphyxiation can be attributed to the use of OC spray along with the presence of methamphetamine as a contributing factor," the sheriff's office said. "The Medical Examiner's findings move the justice process forward. However, it is important to note the case remains open and currently under investigation of the Texas Rangers as well as TCSO Internal Affairs."
Since 2017, at least 63 people have died while in custody at the Tarrant County Jail, most of which were due to medical issues or natural causes, according to the TCSO. The latest deaths have resulted in harsh criticism of Sheriff Bill Waybourn, resulting in some asking for him to resign.
"Despite the political grandstanding of some, this case will go forward and all corroborated facts will be presented in the halls of justice," Waybourn said in the release.
Waybourn did fire a jail employee and a supervisor involved in the altercation. He soon reinstated them, citing civil service procedures, and placed them on leave pending an investigation into Johnson's death by the Texas Rangers.
The man in charge of jail operations, Executive Chief Deputy Sheriff Charles Eckert, retired last month after 32 years, although the department said his retirement was unrelated to Johnson's death.
"Anyone who would speak negatively about Chief Eckert's service is clearly misinformed or being divisive," the department said in a statement announcing the retirement.
Since 2017, at least 63 people have died while in custody at the Tarrant County Jail, most of which were due to medical issues or natural causes, according to the TCSO.
CBS News Texas has also reached out to the attorney for Johnson's family for comment.
The Unity in the Community Coalition of Tarrant County issued a news release Friday on behalf of community advocates and justice organizations such as the Fort Worth-Tarrant County NAACP and United Fort Worth.
"The responsibility for the jail's culture of death and the historical and escalating inmate death toll lies at Sheriff Bill Waybourn's feet," the coalition's release said. "His abysmal failure to capably manage the county jail and his inability to adequately address the environment of dysfunction (that makes inmate death at the Tarrant County Jail normative and an accepted outcome of incarceration) is the main reason for 66 inmate deaths…and counting. To make matters worse, Sheriff Waybourn ill-fated attempt to fire two employees backfired because of his incompetence.
"In the best interests of the citizens of Tarrant County, we believe it's time for Sheriff Waybourn to resign. He has proven over and again that he is definitely the wrong person for the job."
The coalition also criticized County Judge Tim O'Hare, saying his friendship with the sheriff "shouldn't override the safety of jail inmates and the public's welfare." In addition, it called for Tarrant County commissioners to hire a nonpartisan firm to investigate the Tarrant County Jail and all inmate deaths under Waybourn's watch. It also called for a Department of Justice probe.