Wild moment defense attorney is TASERED in court to 'show the jury how they work' at manslaughter trial of two cops on trial for using the device on man with heart condition

A defense attorney was tasered in court to 'show the jury how they work' during a manslaughter trial for two cops who tasered a man with heart problems to death.

Zachary Camden and James Johnson, former Williamson County Sheriff's Office deputies, were indicted for the death of Javier Ambler, 40, by a grand jury in 2021.

The former deputies are accused of using excessive force when they tasered Ambler multiple times after a car chase in 2019 and are currently on trial for manslaughter.

On Wednesday the defense called upon witness Ben Bloodworth, an instructor at Axon - the company that produces tasers.

Bloodworth carried out a bizarre demonstration in the courtroom during which he used a taser on defense attorney Ken Ervin. The demonstration was supposedly to show the jury how the taser worked.

A defense attorney was tasered in court to 'show the jury how they work' during a manslaughter trial for two cops who tasered a man with heart problems to death

Bloodworth carried out a bizarre demonstration in the courtroom during which he used a taser on defense attorney Ken Ervin. The demonstration was supposedly to show the jury how the taser worked

Former Williamson County Sheriff's Deputies James Johnson left, and Zachary Camden were indicted on manslaughter charges in 2021 and are on trial for manslaughter 

Javier Ambler was driving home from playing poker on March 28, 2019, when he failed to dim the headlights of his SUV to oncoming traffic

During the presentation, four individuals stood at the front of the courtroom to act out a situation similar to the 2019 incident involving the deputies and Ambler. 

Bloodworth pointed the bright yellow taser at Ervin and said 'taser, taser, taser' before firing the weapon.

The other two individuals clutched Ervin as he writhed in pain following the taser shot before he collapsed into their arms and said 'oof'.

After the taser demonstration, Bloodworth was cross-examined by prosecutor Holly Taylor.  

'You didn't hear a statement, 'I can't breathe, I have congestive heart failure' from Mr. Ervin, prior to tasing Mr. Ervin?' Taylor asked.

'No, ma'am,' Bloodworth responded.

'And Mr. Ervin was tased once – not two, three or four times,' Taylor asked. 

'Asked and answered your honor,' the defense interjected.

'I have not asked that specific question,' Taylor said.

'Five second cycle, yes, ma'am,' Bloodworth responded.

The defense also called upon Anthony Ramirez, the certified taser instructor who trained Camden and Johnson. 

Ramirez testified that the deputies responded to the 2019 situation in the appropriate way. 

He claims it is acceptable to use a taser after a car chase because law enforcement does not know if the suspect has a weapon.

Ramirez said officers are trained to use whatever force is necessary to be able to put handcuffs on. 

After both witnesses were called to the stand, the defense rested its case.

Closing arguments are set to take place on Thursday, with jury deliberation starting shortly after.  

In 2021 court proceedings, attorneys Ken Ervin and Doug O'Connell also claimed that their clients were not invited to testify by prosecutors while providing their own narrative for the March 2019 traffic stop.

Body camera footage showed Ambler telling deputies 'I can't breathe' and that he has congestive heart failure as they deploy Tasers on him four times

Deputies performed CPR on Ambler (pictured) until medical personnel arrived later and took over. He died at hour later

'Contrary to widespread media characterizations, Mr. Ambler was not pursued for failing to dim his headlights. He was pursued for the felony offense of evading arrest in a vehicle,' the lawyers wrote in their statement. 

The lawyers claimed that during the car chase, which allegedly lasted more than 22 minutes, Ambler had crashed through a homeowner's fence before his 'fifth and final collision disabled his vehicle.'

'Shortly thereafter, Mr. Ambler died because of congestive heart failure, hypertensive cardiovascular disease associated with morbid obesity, and lymphocytic myocarditis,' the lawyers said.

'Mr. Ambler's physical exertion in resisting the three officers it took to get him into handcuffs no doubt contributed to his medical emergency, but Mr. Johnson and Mr. Camden are neither morally nor legally responsible for his death.'

The lawyers said they are requesting a trial 'as soon as possible' for their clients 'where we can ensure politics, campaign promises, and sensationalized media portrayals will not distort the truth of what occurred.' 

The deputies pursued the father-of-two for 22 minutes into downtown Austin in a police chase that was captured on camera for an episode of A&E network's Live PD.

Police body camera video of Ambler's death shows the gasping 400lb-man telling the deputies that he wants to comply with their demands but that he can´t because he has congestive heart failure.

'I am not resisting,' Ambler cries. 'Sir, I can't breathe... Please... Please.'

He was pronounced dead an hour later.

Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody (pictured) was accused of destroying video evidence relating to the investigation

An autopsy revealed that Ambler died in a homicide with congestive heart failure and hypertensive cardiovascular disease linked with morbid obesity 'in combination with forcible restraint'

Internal Affairs investigators with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office determined that Johnson and Camden didn't violate pursuit or use-of-force policies.

A complaint filed in the Western District of Texas accused former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody of encouraging officers to engage in 'dangerous' police tactics for the sake of exciting television, and rewarding officers 'who had 'good' uses of force'. 

The complaint also includes earlier claims from two former employees of the sheriff's office who said leaders had rewarded them with steakhouse gift cards when they used force on the job.

'Officers who received gift cards were also awarded the title 'WilCo Badass'. This practice encouraged officers to use force more frequently, to 'win' more gift cards, to be 'WilCo Badass,' and to appear on Live PD,' the suit states. 

The complaint also noted how police chases in Williamson County had increased by 54 per cent in the year that Live PD began partnering with the department.

And approximately 60 percent of those pursuits began due to a trivial traffic infraction, like failing to signal, expired license plates, or failure to dim headlights, according to the lawsuit.