TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — A Travis County grand jury on Wednesday indicted attorney Jason Nassour on a third-degree felony charge of tampering with physical evidence in connection to the case involving the 2019 death of Javier Ambler.
Nassour was serving as general counsel for the Williamson County Attorney’s Office at the time of Ambler’s death. His bail was set at $15,000.
The jury, a news release from Travis County District Attorney José Garza states, also heard evidence concerning the involvement of former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody, but state law prohibits disclose of an indictment against him prior to him being taken into custody.
Nassour and Chody are facing similar charges in Williamson County.
In March 2019, cameras for the since-canceled Live PD reality television shows were rolling when 40-year-old Ambler, who was Black, died in the custody of Williamson County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Deputies had deployed a Taser on Ambler.
The Live PD footage never surfaced, but body cam footage shows that during the arrest Ambler pleaded that he was sick and couldn’t breathe. Deputies maintained that he failed to follow orders.
Following a chase and arrest, Ambler died.
Live PD stated that unaired footage of the arrest was destroyed.
On March 30, the Travis County grand jury returned two indictments against former Williamson County deputies James Johnson and Zachary Camden in connection to the Ambler’s death.
“I know that these indictments will not bring peace to the Ambler family. No parent should have to bury their child,” said Garza. “But we remain committed to seeing this through on behalf of not just Javier Ambler, but also our community.”
Nassour was voted out as general counsel for the Williamson County Attorney's Office but remains with the office. Chody lost his re-election bid in November 2020.
-
