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Two former Texas sheriff’s assistants face manslaughter charges in the death of a black man following a car chase where authorities were accompanied by a team of reality cameras.
Javier Ambler was followed by Williamson County MPs for more than 20 minutes on March 28, 2019, ending in the city of Austin, where Ambler was held and assigned at least three times, body camera footage previously published by Austin Police and seen by NBC News showed. According to a police report, MPs began chasing Ambler because he had not dimmed his headlights for oncoming traffic.
The A&E reality show “Live PD” was filming the sheriff’s deputies when the chase began.
A grand jury has indicted MPs James Johnson and Zachary Camden on one count of second degree manslaughter each in Ambler’s death, Travis County District Attorney José Garza said on Tuesday.
“With these indictments, we have taken another crucial step towards justice for the Ambler family and for our community,” Garza said. “While we can never take the pain of the Ambler family away, the grand jury has sent a clear message that no one is above the law.”
The bond for MPs has been set at $ 150,000 each, and it is not known whether they were in custody on Tuesday. Inmate files were not immediately available to Johnson or Camden.
Ken Ervin and Doug O’Connell, attorneys representing the two MPs, released a joint statement Tuesday that described the indictments as a follow-up to a “political talking point” by Garza. The statement also rebuffed claims that Ambler was arrested for not turning off his headlights, but for “a felony of escaping arrest in a vehicle.”
“Mr. Ambler’s physical effort to resist the three officers it took to handcuff him undoubtedly contributed to his medical emergency, but Mr. Johnson and Mr. Camden are neither morally nor legally responsible for his death, ”the statement said.
Ambler’s mode of death was declared homicide, according to a death in custody report filed with the Texas attorney general’s office. Ambler died of congestive heart failure and hypertensive cardiovascular disease associated with morbid obesity, in combination with forced restraint, according to the report.
An Austin police officer’s body camera video shows Ambler on the ground with several officers.
“Give me your hands or I’ll slap you again,” an officer said in the video. Ambler is also heard telling MPs that he had congestive heart failure.
“I can’t breathe,” Ambler repeated over and over.
A wrongful death lawsuit filed by Ambler’s family last year alleged that sheriff’s deputies engaged in a reckless lawsuit against Ambler to make entertaining television for “Live PD.”
Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody is accused of destroying or concealing audio and video footage showing his deputies pursuing and using force on Ambler, according to a September indictment against him. Chody and former Williamson County General Counsel Jason Nassour have been charged with tampering with criminal evidence.
Chody called the charge against him politically motivated after he was released on bail in September.
Hannah rappleye contributed.
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