Bernie Sanders Weighs in on Death of Sandra Bland

Sandra Bland was found hanged in a prison cell at the Waller County jail in Texas on July 13 three days after she was arrested for failing to signal while changing lanes. Authorities say she killed herself – but her family and supporters have strongly refuted the claims, insisting she was in an optimistic state of mind at the time of her arrest, and looking forward to a new job. Bland’s death, ruled a suicide, raised questions about jail safety standards, mental health checks and race and policing.

For now, we can only hope that state trooper Brian Encinia faces some outcome for his behavior on July 10. In dashcam video of the incident, Encina holds a stun gun up to Bland and warns “I will light you up” when she refuses to leave her auto.

“We demand the Department of Justice take a stand for black women and are deeply disappointed that they haven’t thus far”, said Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of national women’s rights group UltraViolet, said in a statement Tuesday. But Bland’s death in the Waller County jail may still have a lasting impact on the Texas criminal justice system.

Even before the grand jury’s decision, Bland’s family in Chicago called the grand jury system in Texas flawed, saying the testimony should be open to the public. “We’re supposed to have an investigation to show us what’s happening”.

The grand jury reached the decision that no felony crime was committed by the sheriff’s office or jailers after a closed-door hearing. While Waller County prosecutors and an outside forensic science inquiry stated that the death was self-inflicted, the Bland family continue to seek answers.

But Special Prosecutor Darrell Jordan refutes that the family has been kept out of the loop. “I have never heard of a criminal case where the prosecutor did not talk to the victim’s family… any parent deserves to know anything out there that relates to the death of their child”.

The attorney for Bland’s parents had a press conference earlier Monday, questioning why the grand jury was taking so long, and questioning the entire process. The Grand Jury announced there would be no charges against the jailers on December 21.

Many on social media responded with frustration and disbelief after the announcement. The grand jury met for eight hours on Monday.

The family is also frustrated because it can’t examine the findings of a Texas Rangers investigation into the death because the report is grand jury evidence, Lambert said.

Officials previously concluded Bland’s autopsy showed no evidence of homicide.

In addition to dash-cam video from Encinia’s patrol vehicle and those of Prairie View police officers who responded to the traffic stop, investigators have reviewed video showing Bland’s arrival and processing at the jail.