On Bastille Day (Tuesday, July 14), nearly 100 North Texas residents, activists, and family members of the victims of systemic abuse and neglect at the Tarrant County Jail showed up to a routine Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting and brought their grievances right to the political leaders. Bastille Day was when the French stormed the prisons and launched the revolution that led to democracy in that country, so today was highly symbolic.
“Under the banner of ‘family values’ and ‘fiscal conservatism,’ ” spoke Sabrina Ball, leader of local group Indivisible TX12, “the extremists on this court have concentrated power while eroding accountability. They reshaped electoral maps to protect their political power. They champion policies that deny dignity and equal treatment to our community based on identity. They invoke their religious beliefs to justify public policy, and they continue to increase spending on ‘law and order’ while ignoring repeated failures inside the Tarrant County Jail that have cost lives and millions of taxpayer dollars.
“Taken together,” she continued, “these are not isolated decisions. They reflect a governing philosophy that prioritizes control over accountability, ideology over equal rights, and political power over human dignity. They are not interested in responsible governance. They are interested in power.”
Based on assorted data, Tarrant County Jail has three times the number of deaths than the national average. A candidate for district judge, Cindy Stormer believes that amount may be closer to seven times the national average depending on the “gray area” of these atrocious statistics.
One solution will be to replace Sheriff Bill Waybourn when he’s up for reelection in 2028. Data indicates 73 deaths under his supervision since he took office in 2017 (80 to Stormer), four of which occurred less than a month ago. Say their names: James Johnson (June 15), Carl McCray (June 16), Mack Greer (June 18) and Victor Runnels (June 26). Internal investigations are underway, though Commissioner Alisa Simmons is demanding a deeper look.
Best known for playing saxophone for international recording artists such as Leon Bridges and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Fort Worth native Jeff Dazey has always taken photos during his extensive world touring. Over the past year, he has begun pursuing photojournalism with a concentration on social activism. You can see more of his photography @jeffdazey and @owlmedi4.
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