Twelve jurors and two alternates in Texas have been awarded nearly $27,000 each for approximately five days of work after a case against former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was delayed for nearly two years. Judge Karen Sage ordered the total payout of $375,000 in taxpayer funds.
The jurors were instructed to maintain impartiality for 457 days while the trial was halted, receiving $20 for their first day of service and $58 for each subsequent day, even when not actively in court. This stipulation arose because the court asked them to behave as if on an overnight recess, refraining from discussing or reading about the case during the extended pause.
The case, which accused Chody and county attorney Jason Nassour of concealing evidence related to the 2019 death of Javier Ambler, was ultimately dropped by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office on July 1. Ambler died of heart failure after being tased while in custody. His arrest and death were recorded during the filming of the reality show "Live PD."
Prosecutors had argued that Chody and Nassour should have secured the footage before its potential deletion, citing an agreement with the show's parent company to remove the recording after 30 days. The defense contended that seizing the footage would have violated federal law. Footage from the incident showed Ambler being repeatedly tased while pleading, "I can't breathe" and "Save me."
The trial began on August 15, 2024, and lasted only three days before prosecutors sought a temporary halt. When the judge did not grant the motion, attorneys appealed, pausing proceedings until an appellate court could rule. The case proceeded to be dropped nearly two years after its initial commencement.