‘Live PD’ Sheriff Indicted Atter Black Man Died In Custody
On Monday (September 28), a Texas Sheriff featured in the television show Live PD was indicted by a grand jury over the death of a Black man he was seen chasing and who later died in police custody.
According to KVUE, Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody also faces charges of evidence tampering after allegedly deleting video of him chasing Javier Ambler.
Williamson County D.A. Shawn Dick and Travis County D.A. Margaret Moore launched a joint investigation back in June after body cam footage revealed the cop’s fatal interaction with Ambler.
Jason Nassour, the former Williamson County general counsel who was also at the scene of Ambler's death in March 2019, was also indicted on a felony charge of evidence tampering.
Jail records indicated that Chody was booked at the Williamson County Jail on September 28 and has since been released after posting a $10,000 bond.
During the incident, Williamson County Deputies J.J. Johnson and Zach Camden chased Ambler for almost half an hour after the 40-year-old failed to dim his headlights.
The chase ended in North Austin, where deputies used Tasers on Ambler as he shouted that he had a heart condition and couldn’t breathe. He died a short time later.
After the incident was reported, Live PD producers claim sheriff’s officials asked they preserve the video, however they were told two months later that the investigation was completed using body camera footage and dash cam video.
The A&E reality show was scrapped just days after it was reported that the Ambler footage was destroyed. Live PD’s cancellation also came during the height of the nationwide protest against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
