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Families of man who died in Tarrant County Jail demand answers at Fort Worth public comment meeting
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Summary
Multiple family members of Anthony Johnson Jr. told the Fort Worth City Council they have waited two years for accountability after his April 2024 death in the Tarrant County Jail, asked whether officials have viewed unredacted footage and urged disclosure and action.
Several members of Anthony Johnson Jr.’s family directly appealed to the Fort Worth City Council during public comment on Jan. 6, 2026, demanding answers, release of unredacted video and action after what they said was a failure of law-enforcement and detention staff to protect him.
“On April 19, I took him to Wellbridge because I saw his psychosis escalating,” Jacqueline Johnson said, recounting events before her son was taken into custody. She told the council that intake staff at the Tarrant County Jail noted on April 20 to “notify supervisor, magistrate, and mental health immediately,” and she said no meaningful intervention followed. “My son begged for his life. He said he couldn’t breathe twice,” she said.
Chanel Johnson, the deceased man’s sister, asked directly whether any council member had seen the unredacted footage of her brother’s death and said delays in prosecution and public reporting were “alarming.” “When a homicide case with the video evidence is pushed back years, the public deserves to know why,” she said.
Anthony Johnson Sr. criticized local officials’ responses and named agencies he said failed his son: the Saginaw Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department and Tarrant County jailers. He also criticized local and county leaders for what he characterized as a lack of urgency.
The family’s speakers repeatedly asked the council how city officials — whom they said had influence through endorsements and relationships with county leaders — planned to press for transparency and justice. They said two dealers allegedly linked to the death have remained free since 2024 while their family waits for answers.
Why it matters: Family members said the withheld footage and prosecutorial delays have deprived them of public oversight and accountability. They urged the city to use its influence to press for disclosure and expedite investigations.
What’s next: Speakers said they will continue to demand records and to raise the issue during the 2026 election cycle; no formal city action, motion or vote on the matter was recorded during the Jan. 6 meeting.
