In a high-stakes legal demonstration, a defense attorney was voluntarily tased in front of jurors during day 8 of the trial for the death of Javier Ambler, as reported by KXAN. The demonstration was aimed to show the effects of a Taser, like the one used during the arrest of Ambler by former Williamson County deputies James Johnson and Zach Camden, both charged with manslaughter.
During the ill-fated night of March 2019, Ambler led police on a 20-minute chase, eventually crashing, and subsequently dying after being tased multiple times by the officers as he alerted them to his heart condition. The state concluded its case the prior day without additional witnesses, paving the way for a defense that argued potential conflicts in the state's expert testimony versus the everyday practices of police officers.
Defense attorney Ken Ervin donned a grey t-shirt and sneakers for the Tasing demonstration, conducted by Ben Bloodworth, a senior master instructor with Axon, the company behind the stun gun technology. As per KXAN, the audible warning of "Taser, Taser, Taser" was issued before the activation of the device, which sent probes into Ervin's lower back and leg, inducing a visible reaction of pain and muscle contraction.
In their opening statement, defense counsel Doug O'Connell argued, "This was a tragedy, but it wasn't a crime," citing choices made by Ambler such as not dealing with an unregistered vehicle citation that escalated into a warrant, choosing to flee from officers, and failing to take prescribed medicine critical to his health, as noted by KVUE. O'Connell emphasized the reasonableness of the deputies' actions in the context of the situation.
Expert testimony on the side of the defense painted a narrative of lawful conduct by deputies Johnson and Camden. Retired Travis County Sheriff's Major Mark Sawa took the stand to describe the deputies' use of force as reasonable under the given circumstances. However, during cross-examination, with the state referring to consultants who previously assessed the case, contrasting opinions arose, including one by Roger Alma Clarke suggesting that Ambler posed no threat. The defense continues to bolster its case, hoping for a not guilty verdict, with jury deliberations expected soon. Testimonies and evidence reveal a multifaceted scenario, as the courtroom awaits its verdict, KVUE reports.
