No Indictment in Death of Sandra Bland

The Waller County grand jury decided not to issue indictments relating to Sandra Bland, 28, who was found dead in her cell last summer after being jailed for a traffic stop.

Meantime, Bland’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Encinia and Waller County officials.

“It has been a very, very long day”.

It’s not clear what charges the grand jury might consider when it reconvenes.

The Texas Grand Jury has decided there will be no indictment in the death of Sandra Bland against anyone-not any of the police officers, not any of the jail officials or workers, nobody.

Bland was pulled over on July 10 after reportedly failing to signal a lane change, but her encounter with Texas Trooper Brian Encinia soon turned violent after Bland reportedly refused to put out her cigarette.

Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, called on authorities to release all footage and information they have surrounding her death. She was arrested following a confrontation with a police officer over a minor traffic stop.

After being taken into custody she was found hanged in a jail cell three days later.

Another driver recorded cell phone video of the incident is her telling the officers she is in pain and can not hear after her head was slammed on the ground by the male arresting officer.

Looney also confirmed that “The only thing that was done yesterday is that the grand jury has declined to indict the sheriff or the sheriff’s staff”.

Bland family attorneys say jailers should have checked on her more frequently and that the county should have performed a mental evaluation once she disclosed she had tried to kill herself before. “We know that nothing could replace losing a loved one, but we will continue to show the family support over the next year as the legal process continues to play out on their pursuit towards justice”. Her relatives acknowledged that she struggled with depression, but said they didn’t believe she was suicidal, and none of her recent behavior had raised any alarms.

“Sandy would not have taken her own life”, longtime friend LaNitra Dean said.

Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis, who appointed five special prosecutors to handle the Bland case, has said there is nothing in that investigation “that shows anything happened but she killed herself”. The situation quickly escalates, with Mr Encinia appearing to threaten Ms Bland after she refuses to get out of her auto.

But the evidence presented to the grand jury did not move them to indict, an no felony charges will be brought.

“Right now, the biggest problem for us is the entire process”, her mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, told reporters.

Her death came amid increasing scrutiny across the nation over police treatment of African-Americans after the deaths of unarmed African-Americans by police, including Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner.