Police accused: destroyed evidence of brutality

Whose fault is it that video evidence of Javier Ambler II's death was not preserved? Williamson County prosecutor Mike Waldman argues that former Sheriff Robert Chody and Assistant County Attorney Jason Nassour are to blame, while defense attorney E.G. Morris claims the fault lies with the Austin Police Department and Travis County DA's office.

"This is a Williamson County debacle." - Prosecutor Mike Waldman

Chody and Nassour are facing charges of tampering with evidence and conspiracy, with their trial expected to last at least two weeks and prosecutors calling over 40 witnesses.

Ambler, a 40-year-old Black father of two, died in March 2019 after a 22-minute police chase that began with a failure to dim his headlights. Williamson County sheriff's deputies J.J. Johnson and Zach Camden used Tasers on Ambler four times, despite his cries of a heart condition and inability to breathe. Ambler died just minutes later, with "Live PD" crews present during the entire incident.

The show's producers canceled "Live PD" two days after details of Ambler's death were revealed, sparking national headlines and coinciding with protests over the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

At the heart of the trial is the question of what happened to the "Live PD" footage of Ambler's death. Waldman argues that Chody and Nassour took steps to ensure the video was never seen, including a provision in a contract with Big Fish Entertainment Co. ^[https://www.statesman.com/news/20220712/whose-fault-was-it-live-pd-video-of- Javier-ambler-death-wasnt-shared-with-investigators-wasnt-preserved?pid=803959925f23796f2ef895aed5^^&^^ng^&^^app_id=1106076439484862^&^^app_version=4.109.6]^ made after Ambler's death, stating that all video be destroyed within 30 days.

Waldman also accuses Chody of allowing the "Live PD" video to be sent to New York and never obtaining statements from the show's witnesses. He highlights the fact that Williamson County deputies were not wearing their own body cameras, relying instead on "Live PD" cameras, and that a dashcam from a deputy's patrol car showed professional cameramen within 5 feet of the incident.

Morris, Chody's defense attorney, refutes these claims, arguing that Chody did not take statements from "Live PD" witnesses because Austin police had taken over the investigation. He also states that the contract with "Live PD" after Ambler's death did not include a clause about destroying raw footage, and that the reason for the destruction clause in previous contracts was to prevent the show from selling footage that made the county look bad.

The trial continues, bringing to light disturbing details of Ambler's death and raising questions about accountability and transparency in law enforcement.