The father of Anthony Johnson Jr. was removed from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court Tuesday after blaming county officials for his son鈥檚 death.
鈥淓very time I come here, I鈥檓 seeing exactly who killed my son,鈥� Anthony Johnson Sr. said during public comments to County Judge Tim O'Hare.
鈥淣ow I know who killed my son: your culture, Mr. O鈥橦are, your culture,鈥� he said.
Johnson Sr. raised his voice and slapped the lectern and O鈥橦are ordered sheriff鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 Office ruled his death a murder by mechanical and chemical asphyxiation.
Two sheriff鈥檚 office employees, Lt. Joel Garcia and jailer Rafael Moreno, have been charged with murder in Johnson鈥檚 death.
Johnson鈥檚 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鈥機onnor decided the suit failed to prove that Tarrant County鈥檚 policies and procedures led to Johnson鈥檚 death.
That hasn鈥檛 stopped Johnson鈥檚 family from coming to the court and demanding accountability.
Johnson Sr. said he鈥檚 sure the court is tired of hearing from him.
鈥淚'm only here because my son was killed on your property,鈥� Johnson Sr. said. 鈥淵our municipality. Your jail. Your floors.鈥�
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鈥橦are, voted to accept a Ten Commandments monument to place on county property.
Janell Johnson said the Ten Commandments monument isn鈥檛 coherent with the commissioners' values.
鈥淢r. Krause, thank you for continuing to highlight the contradictions in county leadership,鈥� Janell Johnson said. 鈥淭he way you guys have been dismissing our family for almost 365 days does show how this county is being run.鈥�
She renewed her family鈥檚 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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