Hi there,

For nearly 30 years, Democracy Now! has gone to where the silence is. Our reporting provides news you can’t find anywhere else and helps maintain an informed public, which is critical for a functioning democracy. Thanks to a group of generous donors, our TRIPLE MATCH has been extended through TONIGHT ONLY, which means your $15 gift is worth $45. Please donate today, so we can keep amplifying voices that refuse to be silent. Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you so much!

Democracy Now!
Amy Goodman

Non-commercial news needs your support.

We rely on contributions from you, our viewers and listeners to do our work. If you visit us daily or weekly or even just once a month, now is a great time to make your monthly contribution.

Please do your part today.

Donate

Independent Lawyers to Assist in Investigation of Sandra Bland Death

HeadlineJul 28, 2015

In the latest news from Waller County, Texas, a team of outside lawyers will be assisting in the investigation of the death of Sandra Bland, who was found dead in a jail cell two weeks ago. Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia forcibly removed Bland from her car after she objected to putting out her cigarette when he pulled her over for allegedly failing to signal a lane change. Authorities say Bland killed herself in jail, a claim her family disputes. The lawyers will have access to evidence, the ability to subpoena witnesses and the power to recommend criminal charges to Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis. If Mathis fails to take up any possible recommended charges, the committee of lawyers can instead present their recommendations to a grand jury. So far, two lawyers have been appointed to the panel. Both are African-American.

The original content of this program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to democracynow.org. Some of the work(s) that this program incorporates, however, may be separately licensed. For further information or additional permissions, contact us.

Non-commercial news needs your support

We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work.
Please do your part today.
Make a donation
Top