Tarrant County Jail employees indicted on murder in Anthony Johnson’s death fired 2nd time

Harriet Ramos
·2 min read

Read the latest in our coverage of the death of Anthony Johnson Jr. and other issues in Tarrant County jail.

The two Tarrant County jailers indicted on a murder charge in connection with Anthony Johnson Jr.’s in-custody death have been fired for the second time.

Rafael Moreno Jr. and Joel Garcia were fired Tuesday, according to a Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office news release. The two men were previously fired by Sheriff Bill Waybourn in May, but reinstated and placed on administrative leave a week later because civil service protocols weren’t followed.

The firing of the two men comes just days after they were indicted for Johnson’s murder. Moreno, 37, and Garcia, 48, were booked into North Texas jails over the weekend and released after posting $125,000 bond, according to court records.

Johnson died of asphyxiation in the Tarrant County Jail on April 21 after a fight with detention officers during a contraband search, authorities have said. The 31-year-old Marine veteran was pepper-sprayed and held down while handcuffed until he went unconscious, according to partial video of the altercation.

Anthony Johnson Jr. with his mother, Jacqualyne. The two Tarrant County jailers who were indicted on murder charges in connection with Johnson’s in-custody death have been fired, officials said Wednesday.
Anthony Johnson Jr. with his mother, Jacqualyne. The two Tarrant County jailers who were indicted on murder charges in connection with Johnson’s in-custody death have been fired, officials said Wednesday.

Cellphone video recorded by Garcia shows Moreno kneeling for about 90 seconds on Johnson, who can be heard on the video saying he can’t breathe.

Tarrant County Sheriff Waybourn has said that Moreno broke rules about putting his knee on Johnson’s back after he was already handcuffed. Garcia, the supervisor, made decisions that delayed medical help for Johnson, according to Waybourn.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Johnson’s death a homicide.

Moreno turned himself in to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday. He was released after posting bond. According to court records, he’s been placed on house arrest with GPS monitoring as part of his bond conditions.

Garcia turned himself in to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office on Friday and was released after posting pond, according to jail records.

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Daryl Washington, the attorney for Johnson’s family, told reporters Tuesday that the murder indictment of the two jailers is a “victory in itself,” but others present when Johnson died deserve to be charged as well.

The case is being prosecuted by the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

Washington said a civil lawsuit against the individuals involved in Johnson’s death could be filed “any day.”