Tarrant County hires 3 more attorneys for jailers involved in inmate’s death. Here’s the cost

The price tag for the death of Anthony Johnson Jr. in the Tarrant County jail grew a bit bigger on Tuesday after the Tarrant County commissioners approved hiring of three more attorneys to represent jailers in the lawsuit brought by his family.

The hiring of the attorneys for jailers Jaquavious Simmons, Elijah Marez and Johnathan Nymoen, who were named as defendants in the lawsuit last month, was approved without discussion in the court’s consent agenda.

Simmons sprayed pepper spray into Johnson’s mouth while he was already handcuffed on the floor, Daryl Washington, the Johnson family’s attorney, told the Star-Telegram in August. Marez and Nymoen pinned Johnson’s legs to the floor when Moreno placed his knee in his back, Washington said.

Moreno can be seen in video of the altercation released by the sheriff’s office putting his weight on Johnson for around a minute and a half and failing to let up after Johnson said he could not breathe.

The Johnson family sued Tarrant County in July , naming jailers Rafael Moreno and Joel Garcia as defendants alongside 10 unnamed defendants. The two were indicted on murder charges in June .

The county commissioners voted to hire outside legal representation for Moreno and Garcia in August, approving as much as $30,000 for each attorney.

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The attorneys hired on Tuesday are also approved for up to $30,000 each, potentially adding $90,000 to the county’s bill for Johnson’s death.

Lynn Winter of the Dallas firm Cox PLLC will represent Simmons for $260 per hour. She declined to comment on the case while it is in litigation.

Fort Worth attorney Wayne Olson will represent Nymoen for $300 per hour and Fort Worth attorney Brian Garrett will represent Marez for $295 per hour. Olson did not respond to a request for comment and Garrett declined to comment.

Washington did not respond to multiple requests for comment.