A Tarrant County jury on Tuesday found former Texas Christian University student Ahmad Peterson-Adeyanju not guilty of assaulting a detention officer after a tense lunch-hour clash inside the county jail in June 2023. The panel in the 213th District Court reached its verdict in about an hour of deliberations. Peterson-Adeyanju chose not to testify during the trial.
What jurors heard
Prosecutors told jurors that video footage and witness testimony showed Peterson-Adeyanju hitting detention officer Jimmy Villa several times, arguing that Villa was trying to restrain an aggressive inmate when the blows landed. Defense attorneys countered that Villa closed the distance and shoved Peterson-Adeyanju backward, triggering what they described as a split-second defensive response. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported those courtroom details and noted that Villa testified he was unable to work for five months because of his injuries. Jurors still returned the not-guilty verdict after about an hour.
Case background and context
Testimony showed the June 20, 2023 scuffle started when lunch service came up short and Peterson-Adeyanju, along with two or three other inmates, did not receive meal trays. The acquittal lands at a time when the Tarrant County jail is under a brighter spotlight, with officials and advocates continuing to question jail conditions following a high-profile in-custody death and ensuing legal battles. KERA News has outlined those broader concerns, including the county’s recent settlements and ongoing courtroom fights.
What's next
Peterson-Adeyanju still faces a separate set of charges tied to alleged threats against Texas Christian University, including a terroristic threat charge, and his defense attorney said those accusations will be handled in a different trial. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that he was arrested on Feb. 2, 2023 in connection with the alleged threats and that those proceedings are still pending.
Legal note
The not-guilty verdict covers only the assault count at issue in this trial and does not settle the remaining allegations involving Peterson-Adeyanju. Criminal charges move forward on individual counts and in separate hearings, so prosecutors can still pursue the TCU-related case. For now, the jury’s decision closes out a single criminal charge and leaves untouched any civil or administrative matters that could arise later.
