Tarrant County may spend more money on jail death lawsuit

Will Tarrant County spend more money to fight a lawsuit over a jail death? That's what some neighbors, and a commissioner, are worried about.

Commissioners were set to vote on whether to allow the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office to hire an outside attorney for the case of Anthony Johnson, Jr., an inmate who suffocated in the county jail after being pinned down.

The item was pulled from Tuesday's commissioner's court agenda but Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who expects it to return to the agenda in the future, voiced her opposition to it, along with some neighbors.

“It’s sad that we are here but to go and expend what will amount to millions of taxpayer dollars to fight this family, fight this case, when it is clear to anyone who has seen the very public video, that we are liable. We’re liable," Simmons told NBC 5 after court.

She and other opponents of the move want the District Attorney's office to settle the case.

“Let’s negotiate a settlement that is just and fiscally responsible and try and get this thing settled in mediation utilizing the district attorney’s office," Simmons said.

“It’s time right now to negotiate a settlement with Anthony Johnson, Jr.'s family," said neighbor Julie Griffin during public comment. “Do not load up the taxpayers with hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees, on top of what will inevitably be rewarded to the family as a settlement.”

“It’s just going to cost more money, the more it’s delayed," said another neighbor, Charles Bilz.

According to the agenda document, the contract amount would not exceed $100,000 but Simmons worries the DA's office would come back for more authorization.

“That dollar amount would increase and increase and increase," she said.

Simmons also pointed out that commissioners have approved $30,000 each for attorneys to represent some detention officers in the case brought by Johnson's family, which now names 15 defendants.

"Just get out the calculator and do 30,000 times 15. So, we’ll be paying for their defense and that will come before the court at some point," she said. “So, if the county decides to go with outside counsel, then that would make 16 law firms that we’re paying—we’ll be employing half the attorneys in Fort Worth at this rate.”

The cost is something Janell Johnson pointed out, too, as she stood before commissioners once again, saying the county is not doing enough after her brother's death-- like firing all those she says are culpable.

“Residents, you need to know that the costs in the death of my brother, is going to cost you guys millions," Johnson said.