Death of Sandra Bland
 Image from Bland's LinkedIn account
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| Time | c. 9:00 a.m. (CDT) |
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| Date | July 13, 2015 |
| Location | Waller County Jail, Hempstead, Texas, U.S. |
| Coordinates |
30°05′07″N 95°59′23″W / 30.08516°N 95.98975°W (traffic stop) 30°06′09″N 96°04′31″W / 30.10239°N 96.07535°WCoordinates: 30°06′09″N 96°04′31″W / 30.10239°N 96.07535°W (Waller County Jail) |
| Cause | Asphyxiation; ruled suicide by first autopsy |
| Coroner | Harris County Medical Examiner |
| Footage |
Full dashcam video (Bland from 1:45) Bland's arrest, filmed by bystander Jail footage. |
 Full dashcam video – the second DPS upload, reportedly free of "irregularities" (Bland from 1:45) |
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Bland's arrest – filmed by bystander |
Sandra Bland was a 28-year-old black woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop. Her death, which was ruled a suicide, was followed by protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death, and alleging racial violence against her.
Bland was pulled over for a traffic violation on July 10 by state trooper Brian Encinia. The exchange escalated, resulting in Bland's arrest and charge for assaulting a police officer. The arrest was partially recorded by Encinia's dashcam and by a bystander's cell phone. After authorities reviewed the dashcam footage, Encinia was placed on administrative leave for failing to follow proper traffic stop procedures.
Texas authorities and the FBI conducted an investigation into Bland's death and determined the Waller County jail did not follow required policies, including time checks on inmates and ensuring that employees had completed required mental health training.
In December 2015, a grand jury declined to indict the county sheriff and jail staff for a felony relating to Bland's death. In January 2016, Encinia was indicted for perjury for making false statements about the circumstances surrounding Bland's arrest and he was subsequently fired by the Texas Department of Public Safety. In September 2016, Bland's mother settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the county jail and police department for $1.9 million and some procedural changes.
Sandra Annette Bland (February 7, 1987 – July 13, 2015) was from Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and was one of five sisters. She attended Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois, then Prairie View A&M University outside Hempstead in Waller County, Texas, where she was a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. She graduated in 2009 with a degree in agriculture. At Prairie View, she was recruited as a summer counselor for three years, played in a band, and volunteered for a senior citizens advocacy group.
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Wikipedia