Texas Democrats urge Abbott to call special session as details emerge showing Javier Ambler's death
Texas Democrats urge Abbott to call special session as details emerge showing Javier Amblers death at the hands of sheriff's deputies
by Stacy Fernández, Texas Tribune
Local and state leaders are calling for the resignation of Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and for the deputies involved in Javier Amblers death to be fired. Theyre raising alarm about yet another case of a black person dying at the hands of police officers as people across the nation continue to march in protest of police brutality and racial injustice, sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Some Texas Democrats are urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session to pass laws on policing and criminal justice and asking why the governor hasnt yet publicly acknowledged the Ambler case even as he condemned Floyds death as a horrific act of police brutality that he said must be prevented in Texas.
Last year, Williamson County deputies pursued Ambler in a car chase for 22 minutes, after trying to pull him over for not dimming his headlights. After he crashed Ambler was held down and shocked with a Taser by the deputies four times before his body went limp. Ambler told the officers he had congestive heart failure and couldnt breath, according to
The Austin American-Statesman, which first reported on the newly available body camera footage this month. Ambler died in a hospital about an hour after he was last shocked with a Taser. He was unarmed and body camera footage showed he wasnt resisting.
His death was ruled a homicide. None of the officers involved have been arrested or fired.
Read more:
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/15/texas-greg-abbott-javier-ambler-police-brutality/