Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Jail Deaths And Investigations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Family advocates, commissioners press for answers after jail deaths; missing footage and delayed reports draw criticism
Summary
Speakers at the May 20 Tarrant County meeting renewed demands for release of investigations and video in the deaths of people held in county jails, citing missing footage and long delays in formal reports.
Advocates and some commissioners used the May 20 Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting to demand transparency and answers in recent deaths at county jails, highlighting two cases that residents say have not been properly explained.
In an announcements segment, a speaker noted it had been “358 days, almost a year” since the May 16, 2024, arrest and subsequent May 27, 2024, death of 35‑year‑old Chastity Bonner in the custody of Sheriff Bill Weyburn, saying the family has not “received a single report of investigation into Chastity's death in our county jail.” The speaker also referenced a Star‑Telegram report that “three critical minutes of security footage” were missing from materials turned over to investigators.
In the public comment period, community leader Julie Griffin told the court her review of video and other evidence in another fatality, the April 2024 death of Anthony Johnson Jr., showed “homicide” by detention officers and alleged “gross negligence and chaos,” and asked the court to use closed‑session discussion of litigation to address systemic failures — not only legal tactics. “All of that evidenced in the portion of the video of his death that was released to the public,” Griffin said.
Why it matters: Families and advocates said the county’s handling of custodial deaths affects public trust in law enforcement and in the sheriff’s office’s ability to provide care and safety for people held in county custody. Speakers asked the county to disclose investigative findings, training and policy changes, and to prioritize preventing further deaths.
Court action and requests: Public speakers requested that commissioners use closed‑session discussions of litigation to pursue answers about training, policy and oversight and to report back publicly about concrete changes. The court moved into closed session later in the afternoon; the court returned from executive session with no action reported in open session and then adjourned.
Ending: Advocates asked the court to replace litigation posture with systemic reform, including publication of training updates and protocols, and to ensure families receive investigatory reports and evidence disclosures they said remain outstanding.
