Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Sandra Bland’s Family Proceeds with Federal Lawsuit

Sandra-Bland*The family of Sandra Bland has officially begun to take those involved in her death accountable by filing a federal lawsuit on Tuesday (Aug. 4).

In an interview with USA Today, Attorney Cannon Lambert Sr. revealed the suit was filed against the man who arrested Bland on July 10, Brian Encinia as well as the sheriff of Waller County, Texas, two of the jailers and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“We are looking for Waller County and the individuals involved to take accountability,” Lambert, who is representing the family, told USA Today.

News of the lawsuit is the latest to occur after Bland was found dead in a jail cell in Hempstead, Texas last month, three days after Encinia arrested her after pulling her over for failing to signal while changing lanes. Despite officials saying Bland used a plastic bag to hang herself, social media users as well as the 28-year-old’s family and friends question the claims while arguing that Bland would not have taken her life since she was getting ready start a new job at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M University.

USA Today notes that Encinia was put on desk duty for violating procedures during the stop.

“Mr. Encinia is still employed and it doesn’t make sense that the taxpayers are paying for the type of service that he employed on July 10,” Lambert told the publication. “This family needs an answer to the principle question of what happened to Sandra Bland. It’s why we filed suit.”

The family is furthering their intent with a desire for a fresh pair of eyes to look into the case via the involvement of the Department of Justice.

The family’s case comes after Waller County officials released hours of video of Bland inside the jail last week in an effort to put to rest claims involving foul play to try to disprove claims of foul play. A 52-minute long dash camera video from Encinia’s car that showed Encinia yelling for Bland to get out of her car and demanding that she put her phone away was released by police on July 22.

Since its release, questions were raised as to whether the video was edited. In response, Texas Department of Public Safety acknowledged that “glitches” in the clip came during the uploading process. The video was released the next day by the department without the “glitches.”

For Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Beal, one viewing was enough.

“I watched the video once. I will not watch it again,” she stated to USA Today as she explained that feelings of “anger, disgust, disappointment and sadness” when watching the video. “I have chosen to channel those feelings in another way. … I am angry.”

“What happened to my daughter? What happened to Sandy Bland? Where is the continual tape” to show her arrival through the day?” Reed-Beal continued as she outlined specifically what she wants to know regarding her daughter’s situation.

Although they don’t buy the suicide claims, Bland’s family does admit that the possibility of such an act is something they are aware of.

“I’m the first one to tell you that if the facts show without a doubt that that was the case, I will have to be prepared to deal with that,” Reed-Beal said. “But bottom line is she should never have been inside the jail. Period.”

For more about the Bland family’s lawsuit via USA Today, click here.

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