Trooper who arrested Sandra Bland indicted on perjury charge

“This is an opportunity for the Bland family to know that the justice system can work”, he said.

Texas state trooper Brian T. Encinia faces a perjury charge after he was accused of lying about a statement in his affidavit for justifying Bland’s arrest.

Encinia had said in a report that he pulled Bland from her vehicle to continue the investigation, which the jury reportedly didn’t buy.

Her family has maintained she should never have been arrested and would never kill herself.

Bland’s case gained national attention after she was found dead in her jail cell three days after being taken to the Waller County Jail.

Encinia won’t be bullying motorists in the future: The Department of Public Safety followed up on the indictment by firing him from his state trooper’s job. A medical examiner ruled her death a suicide caused by asphyxiation. I will light you up. She could be heard saying, “You just slammed my head into the ground”.

Three days later Ms Bland was found hanging from a prison cell partition with a plastic bin bag around her neck.

Last month, a grand jury declined to indict anyone in her jailhouse death.

Darrell Jordan, a special prosecutor, told the Chronicle that if Encinia is ultimately convicted of the misdemeanor perjury charge, he could face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

The AP couldn’t immediately reach Encinia for comment.

“During a meeting with DPS Director Steve McCraw in September of a year ago to discuss TOP’s concerns with Trooper Encinia’s conduct toward Ms. Bland, we spoke at great length about the importance of trust and accountability between law enforcement and the communities they serve”. It is a serious situation and I really don’t want another one.

(AP Photo/Michael Graczyk). About two dozen people demonstrate outside the Waller County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Hempstead, Texas. One protester’s sign read, “Legalize black skin”. Bland was charged with assaulting an officer, a felony. The Sandra A. Bland Diversity Institute will teach children ages 5-18 about civil rights and how to get involved in their local communities, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Dash cam video shows the traffic stop in which Encinia pulled Bland over for an improper lane change near Prairie View A&M University. The stop escalated into a verbal altercation after Encinia asked Bland to put out a cigarette and she refused. Bland eventually steps out of the vehicle, and Encinia orders her to the side of the road.

The confrontation continued off-camera but was still audible. Encinia was confirmed on administrative duty as of Tuesday afternoon. Local officials have said she was not mistreated in jail.

She remained in prison following her arrest because she could not raise around $500 for bail.

“We would frankly be surprised”, Cannon Lambert said.

“Our family’s grieving process is at a standstill”, she said.