AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Prosecutors in Travis and Williamson Counties will join efforts in two cases surrounding the in-custody death of Javier Ambler and try the cases in Travis County, officials announced Wednesday.
Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and former Williamson County Attorney's Office general counsel Jason Nassour are both facing felony evidence tampering charges in connection to the case.
Charges were brought against both men in both Travis and Williamson Counties; due to significant overlap, both offices are focusing their efforts on pursuing the indictments in Travis County and will dismiss the charges in Williamson County.
Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza appointed three members of the WilCo DA's office Wednesday as special prosecutors to work on the cases alongside the Travis County DA's civil rights unit.
"What began as a joint investigation will continue as a joint prosecution," Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick said in a statement. "We look forward to having all the facts being properly provided to the public through the jury trials of Mr. Chody and Mr. Nassour."
The cases are not likely to go to trial until 2022, mostly due to a backlog of cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ambler died in 2019 after two former Williamson County deputies, J.J. Johnson and Zach Camden, began chasing him for not dimming his headlights, with the pursuit continuing into Travis County. The deputies used a Taser several times on Ambler as he struggled to tell them that he had congestive heart failure and couldn't breathe.
An Austin Police officer responded to the scene on a request for assistance from Johnson and Camden, with his body camera filming Ambler's last moments. A crew from the A&E reality series "Live PD", who were riding along with the WilCo deputies, also filmed the encounter, though the footage never aired and producers said it was later destroyed.
"Live PD" was canceled days after the body camera footage was released in early June 2020.
Attorneys for Chody and Nassour both deny any wrongdoing, and prosecutors have not given any details on their alleged actions.
Johnson and Camden are also facing manslaughter charges in Travis County in connection with their roles in Ambler's death.