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CBS DFW
2 corrections officers indicted in the death of Anthony Johnson
By Steven Rosenbaum,
6 days ago
Calls for Tarrant County sheriff to resign continue after Anthony Johnson Jr.'s death 00:43
FORT WORTH – A Tarrant County grand jury has indicted two corrections officers in the death of Anthony Johnson at the county jail.
Rafael Moreno and Lt. Joel Garcia face charges in connection to the April 21 incident that led to Johnson's death. Security video from the incident showed at least six employees wrestling with Johnson, and at least one officer using pepper spray.
Investigators said the incident evolved from a routine cell shakedown where they found a shank and a razor in Johnson's cell. Waybourn said Johnson displayed "superhuman" strength as employees started wrestling with him.
Moreno put a knee into Johnson's back, according to investigators, which is against department policy. Moreno and Garcia, his supervisor, were fired, but later reinstated and then put on administrative leave because they were not fired properly.
Earlier this month, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner released autopsy results , finding Johnson's cause of death was mechanical and chemical asphyxia.
Saginaw police took Johnson into custody two days before, saying he was standing in an intersection wielding a knife at a driver. Johnson's family said he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
"Anthony's family and community members have been anticipating this day to arrive, but it is only one piece of the puzzle," Johnson family attorney Daryl K. Washington said in a statement. "The unfortunate reality is that there are even more people in the video who need to be held accountable for what they did or did not do."
"The wheels of justice continue to turn in this case," Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said in a statement. "I said from the beginning that we hold accountable anyone responsible for Mr. Johnson's death and we are doing that."
Waybourn has faced protests and pressure to resign in the wake of Johnson's death, and other deaths at the jail. Since Waybourn took office, more than 60 inmates have died while in Tarrant County's custody.
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