The family of Anthony Johnson Jr, who died by mechanical and chemical asphyxia in the Tarrant County Jail earlier this year, sued the county and a group of jailers Monday.
The lawsuit accuses former Sheriff's Office jailers Lt. Joe Garcia and Rafael Moreno and other jailers listed as "John Doe" of, "inhumane treatment, lack of compassion, egregious and unconscionable actions, inexcusable neglect and cowardice acts" for their alleged role in Johnson's death three months ago.
Johnson family attorney Daryl K. Washington announced the lawsuit Tuesday morning, calling Johnson's death "not an isolated incident" but a pattern under the leadership of Sheriff Bill Waybourn and Executive Chief Deputy Charles Eckert.
"The actions of the Tarrant County jailers are a result of the lack of oversight, training, supervision, and policies that have remained the same for decades," Washington wrote in a statement.
Calls for Waybourn’s resignation ignited following the release of five minutes of video showing events preceding Johnson’s death. Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons is among those who have called for his resignation.
In the video, Moreno can be seen kneeling on Johnson's back for more than a minute. Johnson was also allegedly pepper sprayed and can be heard saying "I can't breathe" at least once during the video.
Johnson's family has demanded the release of the full video showing the events before and after his death. They have consistently spoken at Tarrant County Commissioners Court meetings asking for the full video's release and accountability in the Sheriff's Office.
"We will find the underlying cause of it," Washington said. "There are families who are still trying to figure out what happened to their loved ones, which is unacceptable. We want that to change immediately."
The lawsuit comes after a report by KERA found the Tarrant County Jail's restraint and use of force policies have not been revised in more than 15 years.
There have been at least 65 people who have died in Tarrant County custody since Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office in 2017. That number includes one person who died at a private prison outside Lubbock that Tarrant County pays to use.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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