The father of Anthony Johnson Jr. was removed from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court Tuesday after blaming county officials for his son’s death.
“Every time I come here, I’m seeing exactly who killed my son,” Anthony Johnson Sr. said during public comments to County Judge Tim O'Hare.
“Now I know who killed my son: your culture, Mr. O’Hare, your culture,” he said.
Johnson Sr. raised his voice and slapped the lectern and O’Hare ordered sheriff’s deputies to remove him. Johnson continued addressing the court as he followed deputies out of the room.
The family of Anthony Johnson Jr. has been coming to commissioners court since he was killed in the Tarrant County Jail last year.
The 31-year-old Marine veteran was arrested amid a schizophrenic episode hours after he was turned away by a mental health hospital, according to his family.
The sheriff’s office said Johnson Jr. was killed when he fought jailers attempting to conduct a routine contraband check in cells. But the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a murder by mechanical and chemical asphyxiation.
Two sheriff’s office employees, Lt. Joel Garcia and jailer Rafael Moreno, have been charged with murder in Johnson’s death.
Johnson’s family was suing more than a dozen jailers, but the county was dropped from the lawsuit along with six jailers after District Judge Reed O’Connor decided the suit failed to prove that Tarrant County’s policies and procedures led to Johnson’s death.
That hasn’t stopped Johnson’s family from coming to the court and demanding accountability.
Johnson Sr. said he’s sure the court is tired of hearing from him.
“I'm only here because my son was killed on your property,” Johnson Sr. said. “Your municipality. Your jail. Your floors.”
Janell Johnson, sister of Anthony Johnson Jr. and who has previously been removed from the court during public comments, targeted Precinct 3 Commissioner Matt Krause Tuesday.
Krause, along with fellow Republicans Commissioner Manny Ramirez and County Judge Tim O’Hare, voted to accept a Ten Commandments monument to place on county property.
Janell Johnson said the Ten Commandments monument isn’t coherent with the commissioners' values.
“Mr. Krause, thank you for continuing to highlight the contradictions in county leadership,” Janell Johnson said. “The way you guys have been dismissing our family for almost 365 days does show how this county is being run.”
She renewed her family’s calls for Sheriff Bill Waybourn to step down or be removed from office.
April 21 will mark one year since Anthony Johnson Jr. was killed.
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