Texas Jail Releases Sandra Bland Video That Shows Her Alive At Booking
HEMPSTEAD, Texas, July 29 (UPI) — Waller County officials released hours of jail video Tuesday in an effort to dispel rumors Sandra Bland was dead before being booked into jail.
Judge Trey Duhon, the county’s top administrator, said the video was made public following death threats and accusations authorities are trying to cover up Bland’s death and she was dead by the time her mugshot was taken. Duhon said local authorities have been threatened by the hacker group Anonymous and other groups.
“The reason we’re doing this is because of the misinformation that has been put out — both through social media and even through mainstream media — that has led to the rumors that Sandra Bland was in some way deceased, or harmed, or not well when she was brought in to the Waller County Jail,” Duhon said.
The video, which does not have sound, shows Bland being brought into jail and being booked. Her handcuffs were removed and she appears cooperative. It also shows her in her orange jail jumpsuit, being brought to a holding cell and making phone calls.
“There’s no footage that indicates to me that Ms. Bland was treated unfairly or mishandled or mistreated in any way, shape or form while she was in the Waller County Jail,” Duhon said.
Bland, 28, was found hanging in her jail cell on July 13 with a plastic trash bag around her neck. She had been arrested three days earlier after being stopped for failure to signal a lane change and becoming combative, police said. Dashboard video footage from Trooper Brian Encinia’s patrol car shows the interaction between the two, although the moment when Encinia says Bland kicked him is not visible.
Bland’s family insists she did not commit suicide. Family members said they will seek outside experts for further testing. Earlier this week, the district attorney announced he will impanel a committee of outside attorneys to look into the case.
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