Overview
- Prosecutors dismissed felony evidence‑tampering charges tied to the 2019 death of Javier Ambler after appellate rulings excluded key Live PD footage.
- A July 13 order drafted by defense lawyers would have paid 12 jurors and two alternates about $26,700 each for three days of testimony plus 457 days they were kept on call.
- The Travis County district attorney filed a motion seeking to revoke that payment order, arguing the court lost jurisdiction after dismissal and Texas law only pays jurors for days they physically attend court.
- State District Judge Karen Sage revoked the $27,000 award and directed the district clerk to pay jurors the statutory daily amount of roughly $175 each while criticizing prosecutorial statements about the payments.
- The defendants have demanded a $35 million settlement and filed civil claims against counties and prosecutors, and the dispute now raises open questions about statutory interpretation, county fiscal exposure, and precedent for compensating jurors who are kept on call.