As Austin grand jury mulls charges in Javier Ambler death, 'Live PD' says its been wronged

Authorities at the scene of Javier Ambler II’s death illegally temporarily seized video from a TV reality show, according to a new lawsuit, which claims officials later wrongly blamed producers for “stonewalling” to hide the fact that months elapsed with no meaningful investigation in the case. The production company for the show “Live PD” made those claims in a 29-page suit that offers the now-defunct show’s broadest and most significant statements about the events surrounding Ambler’s death and provides its most complete account of what camera crews say happened that night. The federal suit filed late Friday, which lists the Austin Police Department, the Williamson County sheriff’s office and named and unnamed officers as defendants, contends that the law enforcement agencies and Lt. James David, now a commander in the sheriff's office, violated the constitutional rights of show employees by separating them from their equipment, including video of Ambler’s death, before later allowing them to retrieve it.

The company, Big Fish Entertainment, also used the suit to address what it says are false claims put forth by investigators, including former Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore — mainly, that the show refused to fully cooperate in the investigation. The suit says those assertions were made only after circumstances of Ambler’s death, first reported in June by the American-Statesman and KVUE-TV, sparked a public outcry and that officials could not defend their lack of investigative effort 15 months after the incident. Ambler died March, 28, 2019, after Williamson County deputies chased him into North Austin in a pursuit that started because he failed to dim his headlights. Officers then used Tasers on him multiple times as he gasped that he had congestive heart failure and could not breathe — all while the TV show filmed. A death-in-custody report filed with the Texas attorney general’s office — a procedure required anytime a person dies in police custody — said Ambler did not attempt to, nor did he assault deputies; he did not verbally threaten others nor attempt to get control of any officers’ weapons.