Read the latest in our coverage of the death of Anthony Johnson Jr. and other issues in Tarrant County jail.
The family of Anthony Johnson Jr. on Tuesday once again confronted Tarrant County commissioners about his April death in jail, and this time were joined by another family now going through the same grief.
Relatives of Chasity Corday Bonner, who died at the jail last week, said they too want answers and complained about a lack of communication from the Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail. Johnson’s family, which has been pressuring county leaders for action for weeks, offered support to Bonner’s.
“I feel sorry for the family, because we’re still struggling,” said Johnson’s mother, Jacqualyne. “So I can only imagine what you’re getting ready to go through.”
Bonner, of North Richland Hills, was found unresponsive in her cell on May 27, less than two hours after being seen by medical staff in the jail and refusing further treatment, the Sheriff’s Office said. Medical staff then attempted life-saving measures and administered two doses of Narcan, a treatment for opioid overdoses. No cause of death has been determined yet.
Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons, a frequent critic of Sheriff Bill Waybourn and conditions at the jail, wanted him to give a briefing at Tuesday’s meeting. Waybourn did not attend, so a county administrator read aloud a news release from last week about Bonner’s death.
Simmons also wanted JPS Health Network to brief the commissioners, since the medical staff in the jail work for the hospital. Daphne Walker, a senior vice president, attended but said she couldn’t elaborate on details of Bonner’s death.
“Out of respect for her family and her loved ones, there is no public statement that we are able to share about her care,” Walker said. She added that JPS will try to answer the family’s questions to “the best of their availability.”
The family has a lot of questions.
Bonner’s mother, LaMonica Bratten, and aunt Pamela Taylor came to address the commissioners. They said they want answers and told the Star-Telegram they haven’t heard anything from the Sheriff’s Office or JPS.
“It’s being said that she refused care at some point, and we would like to know when because we were told that she was unconscious for two hours or she was unresponsive for two hours,” Taylor said.
Bratten said she wants to know why Narcan had to be administrated and questioned why illegal drugs were in the jail. Fighting back tears, she said she would get justice for her daughter.
Sister of Anthony Johnson Jr. removed from meeting
Johnson died at the jail on April 21, after he was arrested during what his family says was a schizophrenic episode. He resisted jailers during a cell check and was pepper-sprayed before being handcuffed and held on the floor improperly. The Sheriff’s Office released video of the incident until the moment jailers get off Johnson’s motionless body, but has refused to release the rest of the footage that shows how medical staff and jailers responded after Johnson went still.
That officer Rafael Moreno, a jailer for nine years, and Lt. Joel Garcia, a 24-year employee, were fired in connection with his death. They were reinstated about a week later and put on paid administrative leave. The Sheriff’s Office said it did not follow official protocol when they were fired.
Last week, Johnson’s relatives who have been shown the entire video called it “inhumane” how he was treated.
They repeated their demands Tuesday for the sheriff to make the entire video public and urged their commissioner, Republican Manny Ramirez, to join Simmons in calling for a federal investigation. Ramirez was absent from the meeting.
“We the family will keep coming to this court until we see change,” Jacquelyn Johnson said. “I am fully aware that we are in an election cycle. The family has no trust in this system. This jail is a slaughterhouse, this sheriff must go.”
While speaking during public comments, Anthony Johnson Jr.’s sister Janell was removed from the room after yelling and telling County Judge Tim O’Hare to look at her while she spoke.
“Mr. O’Hare, I need you to look at me,” Janell Johnson said. “You guys killed my brother. No, you guys need to listen.”
She said that Waybourn had not spoken to her family for over a month as bailiffs removed her from the lectern.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Simmons called O’Hare’s decision to remove Janell Johnson “utterly disrespectful” and apologized for his action.
“The inability of the county judge to discipline himself — to sit and listen for a mere three minutes to the pain of a grieving family member — is insensitive,” Simmons said, adding that commissioners can’t be too “thin skinned” to take such criticism.
After leaving the courtroom, Janell Johnson went to the Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to express her desire that Waybourn release the full video.
She said she was told that the sheriff preferred to speak with her with her lawyer present.
She said she did not believe she deserved to be removed from the courtroom.
“I don’t understand why now I got kicked out, and I had the same energy as the very first time,” she said, referring to her yelling during public comments to commissioners in May. “I think it’s because now that we’ve seen the tape, we’ve seen everything go down, and he doesn’t want to face that. I’m not speaking quietly. I’m not speaking for their comfort, while we’re uncomfortable.”
She expressed empathy with the family of Chasity Bonner.
“To hear that another family is going through the same mystery steps we’re about to go through is heartbreaking,” Johnson said. “And you can’t look me in my eyes when I’m talking to you? I don’t know what they expect me to do, how to act.”
Chanell Johnson, another sister, also offered support to Bonner’s family.
“I hope they hear this, that don’t stop fighting,” she said. “Every day, it is going to suck. It’s going to feel like you’re reliving it. To get where we at least got at, and we’re still waiting for answers, keep fighting. Don’t let her die in vain. Do not accept the bare minimum.”
One of the final people to make public comments at the commissioner meeting was Nan Terry, who asked for a moment of silence for Bonner. It was shot down.
“We’re not going to have silence for 30 seconds,” O’Hare said, moving on to the next speaker.
