Trial for former deputies in Javier Ambler case begins
The trial for two former Williamson County Sheriff’s Office deputies accused of manslaughter related to a 2019 in-custody death begins Monday morning.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The trial for two former Williamson County Sheriff’s Office deputies accused of manslaughter related to a 2019 in-custody death began Monday morning.
Minutes after the jury was sworn in, the judge asked the jurors to leave room after being made aware of several topics that needed to be addressed by the attorneys on both sides.
This included a new defense motion alleging the state failed to provide evidence of an active warrant on the day of the incident and discussions about what evidence would be admissible throughout the trial.
Among the evidence the defense argued to be admissible related to Ambler's history as a "known drug-dealer" and a previous incident where Ambler allegedly had previously and successfully fled from police.
The judge denied the defenses request to allow evidence that Ambler was an alleged drug-dealer or that he had previously evaded from police.
The judge did however accept the defenses request to allow video footage from the incident that allegedly shows Ambler throwing objects out of his car during the pursuit.
In March 2019, Javier Ambler died after deputies used stun guns on him. The deputies were identified as James Johnson and Zachary Camden.
According to the indictments, Camden and Johnson acted recklessly in restraining and using a stun gun on Ambler, which occurred despite Ambler saying he could not breathe and had a health condition.
A week before the trial, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office attempted to add a second charge for a misdemeanor assault for Johnson. A grand jury signed off on the assault charge, but a judge later said it could not be added.
Jury selection for the trial began Tuesday, Feb. 20, and continued to Wednesday, Feb. 21. Just under 100 people were summoned to the Travis County Courthouse for the selection process.
Sources later confirmed to KXAN that no Black jurors were selected to serve in the trial; however, there was one alternate juror who was Black.