2 ex-Texas sheriff deputies indicted in Black manโs death
Camden, a former Williamson County Sheriff's Deputy, has been indicted on manslaughter charges in the March 2019 death of a 40-year-old Black man named Javier Ambler. The announcement Tuesday, March 30, 2021, comes two years after Ambler's death was filmed by the police reality TV series "Live PD." They were booked into a Travis County jail on Tuesday and released on $150,000 bond each within an hour, according to a spokeswoman for the Travis County Sheriff's Office. โWe are very pleased to see that the Travis County District Attorney is serious about seeking justice for our family. Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was also indicted last year on charges of destroying or concealing video in an investigation into Ambler's death.
Proposed law would prohibit Texas law enforcement agencies from reality TV deals
Talarcio named House Bill 54 โJavier Amblerโs law," and wrote the bill with Amblerโs family, he said. Ambler was killed after he was chased by Williamson County deputies for failing to dim his headlights in March 2019. He was heard begging โSave meโ and โI canโt breatheโ before he was stunned a fourth time and lost consciousness. โIn the tragic murder of Javier Ambler, we saw what happens when law enforcement leaders are more interested in boosting their ratings than protecting our communities. Law enforcement reality television has caused issues in Bexar County, too.
Williamson County sheriff charged with felony evidence tampering in Javier Ambler case
Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody Credit: via TwitterA grand jury has indicted Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody on a felony evidence tampering charge in the case of Javier Ambler, a Black man who died in 2019 after being Tased multiple times by deputies. Jason Nassour, a county attorney was also indicted on the same charge. Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick and Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore said in June theyโd open a joint investigation into the circumstances leading up to Amblerโs death. Ambler died after a 22-minute police chase that started after he failed to dim his headlights. Michael Ramos, a Black and Latino man, died in April after being shot by an Austin police officer.
Williamson County Sheriff arrested, accused of tampering with evidence in Javier Amblerโs death
Sheriff Robert Chody was taken into custody after an indictment was issued from the 277th District Court in Williamson County, according to KXAN. Chody accused Williamson County Shawn Dick of โpicking and choosingโ the crimes he decides to prosecute. He refused to follow the verbal commands, according to Williamson County Sheriffโs Office case report. Multiple times on the video, Ambler is also heard saying he canโt breathe and that heโs not resisting. The incident was also recorded by โLive PD,โ which followed around Williamson County deputies as part of the show.
Texas sheriff indicted after probe into Black man's death
Williamson County records show Sheriff Robert Chody is facing the third-degree felony charge that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In June, Williamson County prosecutors announced an investigation โinvolving possible tampering with evidence" following the 40-year-old Ambler's death in March 2019. Ambler died after Williamson County sheriffโs deputies repeatedly used stun guns on him, despite his pleas that he was sick and couldnโt breathe. Travis County prosecutors are separately investigating the use of force in Ambler's death. His booking photo posted by the jail showed Chody smiling in a suit, standing in front of the Williamson County Sheriff's Office logo.
Travis County DA will not take Javier Ambler, Michael Ramos cases to grand jury before leaving office this year
Social mediaTravis County District Attorney Margaret Moore will not bring two significant officer use-of-force cases to a grand jury before she leaves office this year, her office said Wednesday. The move delays the prosecution of the cases related to the deaths of Javier Ambler and Michael Ramos, both of whom died at the hands of law enforcement officers. Moore previously planned to present both cases to a special grand jury in August. Before he died, Ambler told the officers he had congestive heart failure and couldnt breathe. Moore said she directed her offices civil rights unit to continue preparing both cases for the grand jury so they will be ready to present to the grand jury as soon as the newly elected District Attorney takes office.
'Live P.D.' Host Dan Abrams on Show's Decision to Destroy Footage of Javier Ambler's Death (Exclusive)
Dan Abrams is opening up about Live P.D. The show's host and co-executive producer is also "very disappointed and frustrated" by A&E's decision to pull Live P.D. "This is a critical time in our nations history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live P.D. The show retained the footage for 30 days while police carried out their investigation, and Abrams says law enforcement never requested Live P.D. Our goal was to chronicle what law enforcement did, was to document what law enforcement did."
Live PD canceled amid rising movement against police brutality
After questions arose from a recent officer-involved shooting death involving a black man in Texas, which was filmed by Live PD, the show has been canceled, A&E announced Wednesday. The announcement came Wednesday evening, days after a report from the Austin American-Statesman renewed questions about the death of Javier Ambler, which happened in March 2019. Black man heard saying I cant breathe multiple times during fatal arrest in Austin, body camera video showsThis is a critical time in our nations history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD, A&E said in a statement to Deadline. .https://t.co/WWh7fDrig2 Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 11, 2020In March 2019, Ambler was chased by Williamson County deputies for failing to dim his headlights. Shortly after new questions resurfaced about Amblers death, Live PD announced that the footage was destroyed.
'Live PD' dropped by A&E on heels of 'Cops' cancellation
A&E Network has canceled the police reality series Live PD after weeks of protests inspired by the death of George Floyd and a report that a crew from the show filmed the death of another black man in police custody. The cable network announced the move Wednesday, a day after the similar show Cops," on the air for 33 seasons, was dropped by the Paramount Network. This is a critical time in our nations history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD," A&E said in a statement. Prosecutors who are investigating Ambler's death said the presence of the Live PD crew made the arrest, which was captured on police body-camera video obtained by the news outlets, particularly troubling. Live PD, which had been on the air since 2016, had a more news documentary approach than Cops, which let police speak almost entirely for themselves.
Greg Abbott has condemned the death of George Floyd, but hes been silent on Texas recent history of police killings
Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneWhen George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police last month, Texas Gov. Where is the outrage from officials about these tragedies?Failed police reformsSince Floyds death, Abbott has instead focused his Texas comments on celebrating the states criminal justice reforms. But more recently, criminal justice reform advocates at the state Capitol have bemoaned failed attempts at change. That measure again failed quite spectacularly, said Chris Harris, director of the criminal justice project for the advocacy group Texas Appleseed. Harris hopes the current political climate will lead to a more successful criminal justice session in 2021.
In George Floyd-inspired protests, Texas organizers find new allies in quest for police reforms
As the mourning of George Floyds death spilled over from the first weekend of protests and passed the seven-day mark, Durrel Douglas opted to stay off the streets. It shouldnt have been anybody dying for this to happen.In Texas, protests are reviving attention to the state's own history of killings by police. Last year, Atatiana Jefferson was shot by a white police officer through a bedroom window in her Fort Worth home. In the last two weeks, protests have spread from the states largest cities into suburban cities, rural Texas communities and even to Texas most notorious sundown town. It feels like a shift, local organizer Tina Butler said of the recent energy in the mostly Latino and white city of Corpus Christi.
Javier Ambler, Who Died After Being Tasered by Texas Cops, Pleaded He Couldn't Breathe
The revelations about Ambler's 2019 death raise questions about Williamson County deputies' practice of pursuing drivers for minor crimes. Ambler died March 28, 2019, after he was driving home following a poker game with friends, according to the report. Another Williamson County sheriff's deputy, who is white, arrived with a Live PD crew and shoved his Taser into Ambler's back. Live PD didn't respond to requests for comment. "In terms of any Live PD footage, as a department, we do not control that footage," the statement said.
The mom of a black man who died a year ago during an arrest in Austin wont watch that police video
Ambler's son, Javier Ambler II, a black man, was 40 when he died almost 15 months ago during an arrest by Williamson County, Texas, sheriff's deputies, after saying repeatedly, "I can't breathe." "We went through this, this feeling a year ago, and we were sort of like, recovering," Javier Ambler said. His 15-year-old son lives with the grandparents and can't sleep because of his father's death, Javier Ambler said. The chase ended when his Honda Pilot crashed with a grove of trees, according to the death report. There was no consideration, they meant to take his life that morning, Javier Ambler said.
Black man heard saying I cant breathe multiple times during fatal arrest in Austin, body camera video shows
(CNN) -- Body camera footage of a black mans arrest in Austin, Texas, where he says I cant breathe multiple times is under investigation. In body camera video released Monday by the Austin Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff's Office deputies were shown pursuing Javier Ambler, 40, just after 1 a.m. on March 28, 2019. Multiple times on the video, Ambler is also heard saying he can't breathe and that he's not resisting. "We have determined that we need to take it to a grand jury," Moore said, adding that officials with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office have not been cooperative. Her office is trying to get the case heard in July, but it could possibly be delayed until August.