Jailers post bond after being indicted on murder charges related to inmate’s death

Two Tarrant County jailers who were indicted last week on murder charges for their involvement in the death of inmate Anthony Johnson Jr. have been released after posting bond, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.

Detention officers Rafael Moreno, 37, and Lt. Joel Garcia, 48, were indicted on Tuesday by a grand jury on charges of murder. Garcia surrendered at the Parker County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, while Moreno surrendered at the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday. Both officers posted bond and were subsequently released.

Anthony Johnson Jr.’s death, ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner, occurred during a struggle at the Tarrant County Jail in April. Initially, the sheriff’s office stated Johnson died after a medical emergency while refusing to leave his cell during a security sweep.

In May, Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn terminated Moreno and Garcia following an internal investigation into the incident. Waybourn explained during a press briefing that Moreno was fired for using a technique not approved by the department, while Garcia was dismissed for permitting the technique’s use and for not responding promptly to the situation.

Video footage released by Waybourn depicted a jailer kneeling on Johnson while he stated he could not breathe.

Despite their termination, Waybourn reinstated the jailers under civil service regulations three days later.

The Texas Rangers, part of the Texas Department of Public Safety, conducted an independent investigation into Johnson’s death.

Jeremy Sherrod, Regional Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, stated, “As promised, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Ranger Division, conducted a thorough, impartial, and meticulous investigation of the death of Anthony Johnson.”

The case is now proceeding to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.