Death of Sandra Bland

Death of Sandra Bland
Bland in a photo on social media
DateJuly 13, 2015 (2015-07-13)
Timec. 9:00 a.m. (CDT)
LocationWaller County Jail, Hempstead, Texas
Coordinates30°05′07″N 95°59′23″W / 30.08516°N 95.98975°W / 30.08516; -95.98975 (traffic stop)
30°06′09″N 96°04′31″W / 30.10239°N 96.07535°W / 30.10239; -96.07535 (Waller County Jail)
TypeDeath in custody
CauseRuled a suicide by asphyxiation
OutcomeCharge dropped against Brian Encinia as part of a plea agreement
DeathsSandra Annette Bland
BurialMount Glenwood Memory Gardens West
Willow Springs, Illinois, U.S.
InquiriesFBI investigation concluding wrongdoing by county jail
CoronerHarris County Medical Examiner
ChargesBrian Encinia:
Perjury[a] (dropped)
LitigationWrongful death lawsuit by Bland's mother settled for $1.9 million

Sandra Annette Bland was a 28-year-old African-American 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.[1][2] Officials found her death to be a suicide. There were protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death, and alleging racial violence against her.[3][4]

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 a charge of assaulting a police officer. The arrest was partially recorded by Encinia's dashcam, a bystander's cell phone, and Bland's own cell phone. After authorities reviewed the dashcam footage, Encinia was placed on administrative leave for failing to follow proper traffic stop procedures.[5][6]

Texas authorities and the FBI conducted an investigation into Bland's death[5][7] 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.[8]

In December 2015, a grand jury declined to indict the county sheriff and jail staff for a felony relating to Bland's death. The following month, 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 (DPS).[9] 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.[10][11] In June 2017, the perjury charge against Encinia was dropped in return for his agreement to permanently end his law enforcement career.

In 2019, Bland's cell phone video became available to the public and to Bland's family for the first time.[12] The video was obtained and shown by Dallas news station WFAA.[13] This video was not available during the civil trials.[12]


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  1. ^ Barned-Smith, St. John (July 14, 2015). "Authorities investigate apparent suicide at Waller County Jail". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Strangers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Montgomery, David (July 20, 2015). "New Details Released in Sandra Bland's Death in Texas Jail". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  4. ^ Barned-Smith, St. John (July 17, 2015). "Waller County authorities release more details in jail suicide". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Park, Haeyoun (July 20, 2015). "The Disputed Accounts of the Arrest and Death of Sandra Bland". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  6. ^ Barned-Smith, St. John; Binkovitz, Leah (July 17, 2015). "Trooper who pulled over Bland placed on administrative duty". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  7. ^ Barned-Smith, St. John; Binkovitz, Leah (July 16, 2015). "In Waller County, questions surround death of jail inmate". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference cnn72315 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Bult, Laura (July 29, 2016). "Cop in Sandra Bland case accuses prosecutors of coverup". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  10. ^ Silverstein, Jason (September 15, 2016). "Sandra Bland family agrees to $1.9M wrongful death settlement". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  11. ^ Flynn, Meagan (March 22, 2017). "Bills That Could Have Prevented Sandra Bland's Arrest Get Hearing". Houston Press. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Elfrink, Tim (May 7, 2019). "'Open up the case, period': Sandra Bland's family demands answers over new video of her arrest". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  13. ^ Collister, Brian (May 6, 2019). "Sandra Bland recorded her own arrest. Watch her cellphone video from the 2015 traffic stop". WFAA. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2020.