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Commissioners hear renewed calls for jail reforms as outside-lawyer costs rise; court to discuss litigation in closed session
Summary
After public comment on recent jail deaths, commissioners questioned requests for additional outside counsel fees in detention-officer cases and agreed to discuss litigation and settlements in executive session. Residents urged settlement and systemic reforms; commissioners pressed for details before additional expenditures.
Tarrant County commissioners on Jan. 28 received extended public comment about deaths in county jails and heard a staff request to approve further outside counsel spending tied to litigation involving detention officers.
Commissioner Alyssa Simmons raised the fiscal tally tied to litigation around the death of Anthony Johnson Jr., telling the court that the county has already spent tens of thousands on outside lawyers and that an additional $35,000 request for one detention officer’s defense would push the county closer to six figures in related outside counsel costs.
Simmons identified a series of prior approvals on the Johnson case and related matters and said the county is approaching roughly $400,000 in outside‑counsel and defendant representation for that litigation alone. “This money is money that could have gone toward the settlement because we will end up losing,” she said, urging mediation rather than extended litigation.
The court acknowledged a companion request that would allow outside counsel to use “reasonable means to resolve this matter at an additional cost, no more than $35,000, not to exceed a total cost of $65,000, subject to further court approval.” Commissioners asked the district attorney’s office for detail on filings and the status of responses before authorizing additional funds.
Public comment on the item was extensive and emotional. Speakers included family members and advocates for jail reform, who urged settlement and broader policy changes. Nan Terry said, “We should acknowledge our faults, make changes, settle the case, and move on.” Another speaker, Rose Abraham, asked the court to ensure compliance with the Sandra Bland Act and to prioritize outside investigations into in‑custody deaths.
The court placed the item on the agenda for executive session to receive legal advice and discuss litigation; after the closed session the court reported no public action would be taken immediately.
Why it matters: The county’s legal exposures and outside counsel spending are taxpayer costs; the discussion comes amid multiple recent in‑custody deaths and public demands for transparency and policy changes.
What happened in court: Commissioners acknowledged existing payments and asked the district attorney’s office for specifics about filings, invoice histories and whether mediation had been pursued. The court scheduled the matter for executive session legal discussion and invited the DA’s office to return with details before approving further disbursements.
Ending: Commissioners did not approve additional funds on the public record immediately; they entered executive session for legal advice and indicated staff would return with further information.
