Sandra Bland's family describes their journey of pain since her death. A native Texan, Nola serves as reporter for the Katy edition of Community Impact Newspaper. He completed his education at Texas A&M University. Blands death drew outrage from people concerned with police violence against Black Americans. Police said Blanddiedby suicidein her jail cellthree days later. Bland was detained, and three days later, she was found hanging in her jail cell. Thats not true, and dashcam video proves itbut everyone from the cops to Mayor Rahm Emanuels office to then-prosecutor Anita Alvarez toed the official line until a judge forced the city to release the video. His attorney did not return our call. Former state Trooper Brian Encinia, who pulled Bland over on July 10, 2015, in Prairie View, Texas, for failing to use a turn signal, no longer faces a perjury charge for making a false statement . | The Texas Tribune Trooper fired for Sandra Bland stop: My safety was in jeopardy. Former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia says he feared for his personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland in Waller County on July 21, 2015. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Kellie Chauvinm. This case should be reopened and justice should finally be served., Nina Turner, co-chair of the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), called the video gut-wrenching and unacceptable.. On July 10, 2015, Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia pulls over a 28-year-old Black woman, Sandra Bland, for failing to signal a lane change. Kelley got to the scene too late to see exactly what happened between Encinia and Bland during the key moments off a dash-cam video where the two are out of frame and Bland says hes knocked her head against the pavement. Protesters have made use of Garners last words, I cant breathe, as a slogan and chant against police brutality since Garners death and Pantaleos grand jury decision. The Texas state trooper who stopped Bland, Brian Encinia, was charged with lying to investigators for saying his safety was in jeopardy. Bland was pulled over on June 10, 2015, during a road trip to Texas from Illinois, where she lived. AFacebook post from June 2020 that is regaining tractionrepeats theclaim that Bland was dead in her mugshotand purports to have photographic evidence. The second interview was done on Feb. 22, 2016, after he was indicted by a Waller County grand jury on a perjury charge. This is a short clip of police video that shows Sandra Bland's arrest in Texas on July 10, three days before she died in a county jail. How many more bodies do we have to see? The Post reported: "While the number of black males armed and unarmed who have been killed has fallen, black males continue to be shot at disproportionately high rates, the data shows. Five years after Bland's death, accountability in her case is something Sandra's sister says the family still awaits. Black males accounted for 22 percent of all people shot and killed in 2017, yet they are 6 percent of the total population. At the time, the police officer who arrested Bland said he feared for his life. Pending the outcome of the Texas Ranger and FBI investigation into this incident, the employee involved has been assigned administrative duties. Over a year after Sandra Bland died in police custody, an officer involved in the case is giving the world a glimpse into how the blue wall of silence works inside the law enforcement industry. After reviewing the in-car video of the incident and speaking with Trooper Encinia, I have the following concerns: I believe that the concerns listed above are training related. Where is he now? Trooper Encinia appears to display rude behavior by asking the violator why she seemed irritated and then, when she quits talking, asking her if she is done. (May 7), George Floyd. NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Video images of violent interactions between law enforcement and Black men and women stir painful memories for the family of Sandra Bland. The situation had already gotten out of hand by the time the violator found out what she was receiving. As for the former Texas state trooper who arrested Bland, the I-Team was unable to find current contact information for Brian Encinia. The trooper, Brian T. Encinia, approached Ms. Bland's car, took her information and returned to his vehicle to write out a citation. He pled guilty to drug and gun charges in 2016 and received a four-year prison sentence. Here are the best, CMT Music Awards ticket presale starts Wednesday. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Six years after the highly publicizeddeath of Sandra Bland in police custody, social media users continue to circulate aconspiracy theorythat police took mugshots after Bland had already died. AUSTIN (KXAN) Its dashcam footage that many will never forget and that sparked criticism around the country questioning police use of force. Uncredited/AP. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Yes, her blood is in their hands.Police & prosecutors hid her cellphone video of her arrest for 4 years. After Bland allegedly refused to put out her cigarette, Encinia ordered her out of the vehicle. Both incriminating details were removed from Kelleys incident report before it was officially filed, the officer says. Sandra Bland's name appeared with others on t-shirts and signs at Black Lives Matter protests. And many 2020 hopefuls weighed in as well. I still did have a concern for the area of her control that I didnt know what was there, but I do agree that things couldve been done differently, said Encinia, when asked if he could have de-escalated the situation by telling Bland she was only being given a warning for the traffic violation. The state Public Safety department moved to fire Encinia after his perjury indictment in January accused him of lying about the confrontation. Bland was pulled over for a minor traffic violation on July 10 by State Trooper Brian Encinia. Menu. Austin Zoning: 5 of 7 positions vacant, director, Wildflower forecast: What to expect in Central Texas, As Bowie archive finds new home at UK museum, start, 5 fun crafts for kids on St. Patricks Day, Inspired by the Iditarod race? The four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd's death were fired and are awaiting trial. A . has spoken our forcefully on this issue since she launched her campaign, she has been criticized for past positions related to addressing police brutality. The trooper, Brian Encinia, would later be fired and charged with perjury, though the charge wouldn't stick. All we know is that he is not active on any social media platforms. I do believe however that Trooper Encinias adrenaline level was very high at that time and that he was very emotional after just getting attacked by the violator. The Texas Department of Public Safety laterfired Encinia for escalating the situation during the traffic stop. Most of the time, the blue wall of silence has to get torn down from the outside. Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. (Designed by Jos Dennis/Community Impact Newspaper). Minnesota Derek Chauvin/Place of birth. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Now, Bland's family is alleging that the Texas Department of Public Safety . "I'm over it. Blands mother Geneva Reed-Veal has become an outspoken advocate for police reform. The video calls into question the officers account of the event. Bland, a 28-year-old Black woman, was arrestedin July 2015 for allegedly assaulting Texasstate trooper Brian Enciniaduringa traffic stop. More: George Floyd. Updated October 27, 2020. "I'm angry. It also shows he did not follow procedure when he didnt tell Bland what action he was going to take and the situation had already gotten out of hand. Aside from the violated regulations, there is considerable division in the Texas legal community about the legality of Encinia's actions. "I do believe that one day, I don't know in what capacity, but I do believe that my sister will get some form of justice," Needham said. In May, the world responded with protests and riots after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody. For now, he remains employed by the . DPS fired him in 2016. Tweets and Facebook posts with the claim have been shared tens of thousands of times. She shouldve never been arrested. Trooper Brian Encinia was fired after failing to rebut disciplinary charges leveled against him in January, Public Safety Director Steven McCraw wrote in a letter of final termination. As USA TODAY reported in 2015, video from the Waller County jail provedBland was alive while her mugshots were taken. Trooper Brian Encinia was fired after failing to rebut disciplinary charges leveled against him in January, Public Safety Director Steven McCraw . HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) A judge dismissed a misdemeanor perjury charge against a fired Texas state trooper Wednesday in a case arising from his 2015 arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was later found dead in a county jail. . The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Click to copy. The Bland family received a $1.9 million settlement in their wrongful-death suit. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Cellphone video recorded by Sandra Bland, a black woman found dead in a Texas jail following a confrontational 2015 traffic stop, shows for the first time her perspective as a white state trooper draws his stun gun and points it at close range while ordering her out of her car HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) A judge dismissed a misdemeanor perjury charge against a fired Texas state trooper Wednesday in a case arising from his 2015 arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was later found dead in a county jail Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. As of early 2020, he was in solitary confinement in Collins Correctional Facility. That was the only criminal charge he faced. VOTE: Whats the best KXAN viewer photo of February? Nation Aug 1, 2015 3:44 PM EST. Lawyers for Bland's family have argued that Texas state trooper Brian Encinia had no grounds for the July arrest. Five Democratic 2020 candidates said video of the 2015 arrest days before the woman was found dead in a cell warrants a new look at the case. Encinia said he then used force to subdue Bland to the ground, and she continued to fight back. Encinia wrote in his affidavit that he had Bland exit the vehicle and handcuffed her after she became combative, and that she swung her elbows at him and kicked him in his right shin. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Bland was 28 years old. Maybe she got kicked, he told the Huffington Posts Michael McLaughlin. Activist Brittany Packnett, a member of President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing, told The Fix that these conversations must be revisited despite how challenging they can be. It's all in the hands of law enforcement.". Orta was released in May 2020 and is under court supervision until January 2022. | ON NOW. After Bland asks why Encinia would threaten to drag me out of my own car, he pulls out his Taser. tweeted: Immediately re-open the investigation into Sandra Blands arrest and death. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The first interview was conducted three months after Blands death in 2015. (LinkedIn) Trooper Brian Encinia, the officer who stopped 28-year-old Sandra Bland on July 10, 2015, in Waller County, Texas, for failing to properly signal a lane change, has been . Even though trooper Brian Encinia had been on the job for about a year, the records give a glimpse of his background. Encinia pulled Bland over on July 10 for failing to use her traffic signal. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On July 10th, 2015, Sandra Bland was pulled over on the outskirts of Houston for failing to signal a lane change. Joseph Wulfsohn / Fox News: Brian Stelter defends 2020 media coverage of Hunter Biden laptop story: We never labeled it 'disinformation' . June 28, 2017. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. By Nola Valente And even though we are seeing it live on the worldwide web, officers are not being held accountable.". The claim that Bland was dead in her mugshot has proved popular on social media. In late July 2015,Waller County, Texas, officialsreleased several hours of video footage showing Bland walking around the jail and sitting for her mugshot. . Does Chauvin have a wife? 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Did they not watch the video? We rate the claim that Sandra Bland was dead in her mugshot photo FALSE, based on our research. "It is a threat to all police officers in the state of Texas of a runaway grand jury or a rogue prosecutor deciding to . Students Suffer. 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