Texas murder probe into death in police custody
- 9 years ago
Dashboard camera video involving a traffic stop in Texas of a woman later found hanging dead in her jail cell showed how the incident quickly escalated into an altercation between her and a state trooper.
Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black woman from Chicago, was pulled over on July 10 in Houston, Texas for failing to signal a lane change.
The video, released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, shows the officer, Brian Encinia, approaching the car and asking if Bland is irritated. Bland replies that she is upset about being stopped for such a minor issue.
After running a check of Bland’s driving history, the trooper returns and asks her to put out her cigarette, which she refuses to do, saying she has the right to smoke in her own vehicle.
At that point, the video shows Encinia demanding she leave the vehicle and then trying to pull her out. He then points a Taser and shouts: “I will light you up.”
Bland asks at least 10 times about why she is being arrested and for what
Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black woman from Chicago, was pulled over on July 10 in Houston, Texas for failing to signal a lane change.
The video, released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, shows the officer, Brian Encinia, approaching the car and asking if Bland is irritated. Bland replies that she is upset about being stopped for such a minor issue.
After running a check of Bland’s driving history, the trooper returns and asks her to put out her cigarette, which she refuses to do, saying she has the right to smoke in her own vehicle.
At that point, the video shows Encinia demanding she leave the vehicle and then trying to pull her out. He then points a Taser and shouts: “I will light you up.”
Bland asks at least 10 times about why she is being arrested and for what