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Wrongful Death Suit Filed over Death of Sandra Bland in TX Jail Cell

HeadlineAug 05, 2015

In news from Ohio, the mother of Sandra Bland has filed a lawsuit over the death of her daughter, who was found dead in a Waller County, Texas, jail cell last month. Bland was arrested on July 10 by Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia, who alleged that Bland failed to signal a lane change. Dash cam video of her arrest shows Encinia forcibly removing Bland from her car and threatening to “light [her] up” after she refused to put out her cigarette. She can later be heard accusing police of slamming her head into the ground. Authorities have said Bland committed suicide in jail, a claim her family has disputed. The wrongful death suit filed Tuesday argues Encinia used an inappropriate level of force during the arrest and that Bland should not have been arrested in the first place. The suit also contends Bland was placed in a cell containing a large garbage can, garbage bags and exposed beams, even after Bland told authorities she had attempted suicide in the past. The suit names State Trooper Encinia, two Waller County Jail guards, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Waller County.

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