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Arlene Garcia, Kevin Johnson’s mother, viewed his autopsy report last Friday during a meeting at the Civil Rights Division of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
Johnson was killed during an attempted arrest and foot chase last March when officers claimed he pointed a gun at them. Johnson’s family continues to dispute the police claim.
Garcia said she’d tried to see the autopsy report for over a year without success. She said she was told a meeting with Civil Rights Division Chief Daryl Harris in March would include a review of the autopsy report. When she and her family arrived, they were informed they would not be viewing the autopsy.
The report was not finished until May 30. The meeting on Friday was scheduled after TPR’s reporting on the case.
Garcia released a written statement following her review of the autopsy report last week.
“Finally, over a year later getting to see the autopsy report of my son was more horrific than I could ever imagine,” she said. “The autopsy revealed Kevin was hit 12 times out of the 28 total fired shots while running for his life.”
She added that the report did not satisfy her questions about why her son was killed.
“These officers [undoubtedly] used excessive force towards Kevin when he was not posing a threat to anyone,” she said in the statement. “The autopsy proves SAPD officers murdered my only son with no remorse.”
Garcia’s statement also said the family lacked proper legal representation, which has made the entire process of dealing with Johnson’s death more difficult.
Assistant District Attorney Pete Gallego released a statement on behalf of the DA’s office regarding the autopsy review and the office’s commitment to bringing the case before a grand jury.
“Our prosecutors and staff are professionals. We understand that becoming a victim involves a traumatic experience and that dealing with the legal system can be frustrating,” Gallego said in the statement. “Nothing we do can bring a loved one back but — in honor of their loved one — we are fully committed to upholding justice and helping their survivors through the process.”
It is unclear when the case will be brought before a grand jury.
