(Designed by Jos Dennis/Community Impact Newspaper). Still Practicing: Tracking Problem Doctors, Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Investigations, Sign up for More than the Score Sports newsletter. Her death was ruled a suicide. Those who believe that addressing police violence should be part of the ongoing conversation about criminal justice reform will likely be looking to the individuals hoping to replace Trump to provide solutions to a problem that continues to plague communities nationwide. Over a year after Sandra Bland died in police custody, an officer involved in the case is giving the world a glimpse into how the blue wall of silence works inside the law enforcement industry. A Waller County judge is expected to issue an arrest warrant for Encinia in the coming days. subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Nola was previously a foreign correspondent in Jerusalem, Israel covering Middle East news through an internship with an American news outlet. This video is compelling proof that Trooper Encinia lied, that Sandra Bland posed no threat, and that there was no basis for her arrest. How rich is Brian Encinia in 2020-2021? "I do believe that one day, I don't know in what capacity, but I do believe that my sister will get some form of justice," Needham said. Sandra Bland's name appeared with others on t-shirts and signs at Black Lives Matter protests. As of recent reports, he is currently 34 years of age. And many 2020 hopefuls weighed in as well. I still did have a concern for the area of her control that I didnt know what was there, but I do agree that things couldve been done differently, said Encinia, when asked if he could have de-escalated the situation by telling Bland she was only being given a warning for the traffic violation. Trooper Brian Encinia was fired after failing to rebut disciplinary charges leveled against him in January, Public Safety Director Steven McCraw . In the preliminary review of the traffic stop that occurred in Prairie View on July 10, 2015, involving Sandra Bland, we have identified violations of the departments procedures regarding traffic stops and the departments courtesy policy. HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) A judge dismissed a misdemeanor perjury charge against a fired Texas state trooper Wednesday in a case arising from his 2015 arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was later found dead in a county jail. Othersquestioned how a routine traffic stop could have escalated to an assault charge. Celeb News; Actor; Actress; Web Stars; . When asked why he did not tell Bland why she was under arrest, Encinia said,I dont have a reason for that, no sir., Encinia denied racially profiling Bland, who was upset after being pulled over for not using her turn signal when changing lanes after the trooper raced up behind her. Brian Encinia, charged with perjury in the arrest of Sandra Bland, has turned himself in to authorities and is now out on bail. As of early 2020, he was in solitary confinement in Collins Correctional Facility. Encinia wrote in his affidavit that he had Bland exit the vehicle and handcuffed her after she became combative, and that she swung her elbows at him and kicked him in his right shin. My safety was in jeopardy at more than one time, said Encinia, during an interview by the agencys Office of Inspector General, when asked if he was scared during the traffic stop. Former congressman Beto ORourke (D-Tex.) Minnesota Derek Chauvin/Place of birth. When asked what crime he believed Bland was committing, or about to commit, Encinia responded: I had a feeling that anything couldve been either retrieved or hidden within her area of control. Enough is enough," said Needham. Who is Brian Encinia? Joe Crystal was a rising star in the Baltimore Police Department until he blew the whistle on fellow cops who had covered up a brutal beating of a handcuffed suspect, and was hounded out of the department. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. The 30-year old Trooper Encinia is now on administrative duty for violating . In the video, officer Brian Encinia shouts: Get out of the car! Friday, October 30, 2020. . After Bland asks why Encinia would threaten to drag me out of my own car, he pulls out his Taser. . The charge the trooper now faces is a Class A misdemeanor. It continues to happen. Students Suffer. Encinia, who also has been indicted on a criminal charge of perjury, stopped Bland for what police said was failure to signal a lane change and arrested her after a confrontation that began when he ordered her to put out her cigarette. What is Trading in Cryptocurrency and Where to Practice It. Encinia has never been questioned in a criminal or civil court or spoken publicly to explain his actions that day. New footage casts doubt on his . Bland, a 28-year-old Black woman, was arrested in July 2015 for allegedly assaulting Texas state trooper Brian Encinia during a traffic stop. They charged him with perjury. And even though we are seeing it live on the worldwide web, officers are not being held accountable.". Police said Bland died by suicide in her jail cell . In late July 2015,Waller County, Texas, officialsreleased several hours of video footage showing Bland walking around the jail and sitting for her mugshot. Brian Encinia Audio Interview after Bland Death (81 minutes), Brian Encinia Interview after Indictment (24 minutes). I unequivocally state that he never approached me, my first assistant, or any member of my staff with any such information, Mathis wrote to the Houston Chronicle. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Cellphone video recorded by Sandra Bland, a black woman found dead in a Texas jail following a confrontational 2015 traffic stop, shows for the first time her perspective as a . The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Trooper Encinia did not follow the seven step violator contact by not telling the violator what action that he was going to take. Activist Brittany Packnett, a member of President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing, told The Fix that these conversations must be revisited despite how challenging they can be. Diepraams boss, Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis, denies Kelleys claims. Protesters have made use of Garners last words, I cant breathe, as a slogan and chant against police brutality since Garners death and Pantaleos grand jury decision. When speaking with Trooper Encinia about this he said that he had no intentions of being rude. (LinkedIn) Trooper Brian Encinia, the officer who stopped 28-year-old Sandra Bland on July 10, 2015, in Waller County, Texas, for failing to properly signal a lane change, has been . "When the incident happened with George Floyd, it broke me down. Bland is heard on the video crying and in distress as she repeatedly tells officers that they were hurting her and that she couldn't hear after being slammed into the ground. (May 7), George Floyd. Regardless of the situation, the DPS state trooper has an obligation to exhibit professionalism and be courteous, said DPS Director Steve McCraw. told the Huffington Posts Michael McLaughlin, Maintained by Center for American Progress - Action Fund. Waller County officials released video that shows Bland alive as her mugshot wastaken. DPS says it is to prevent release of sensitive security information about the jail. White males accounted for 44 percent of all fatal police shootings, and Hispanic males accounted for 18 percent.. Bland was detained, and three days later, she was found hanging in her jail cell. Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. The confrontation ended with Encinia forcibly arresting Bland. He has said he did not understand the context of the phrase at the time. As part of the agreement, changes were made to procedures at the Texas jail and sensors were installed to ensure checks on detainees are accurately recorded. A Texas grand jury has opted to indict Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland three days before her July death, and charge . Sandra Bland Tragedy: 7 Things to Know About Her Life and Death. Encinia's attorney Larkin Eakin Jr. says that Encinia will appeal the termination. Former San Antonio mayor Julin Castro weighed in as well: The recently released video Sandra Bland took of her own arrest provides the latest example of a police justification for the death of an unarmed black person being revealed as a flat out lie, he wrote. Amplifying Black voices through news that matters. Encinia had been accused of failing to act courteously during his July traffic stop of Bland, prolonging her detention, violating general orders and perjury. And even though we may have experienced some similar things, the pain is different for everyone. He pled guilty to drug and gun charges in 2016 and received a four-year prison sentence. Im too furious to add anything else constructive at the moment. Thank you for supporting our journalism. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 2020. "In my opinion, Trooper Brian Encinia's actions were the . And Kelleys testimony that she had a head wound at the scene might have influenced the grand jury process that ultimately only rung Encinia up on perjury charges. We are all in this together. Kellie Chauvinm. Six years after the highly publicizeddeath of Sandra Bland in police custody, social media users continue to circulate aconspiracy theorythat police took mugshots after Bland had already died. For many Black Americans, these deaths and others have caused lasting trauma. Needham said that it's a start, but deaths of Blacks caused by police continue. "We all need each other. She should be alive. South Carolina officer Michael Slager was charged with murdering Walter Scottbut only after cell phone video from a bystander proved that cops had been lying about Scotts death for days. US Casinos With FreeSpins: Why Players Like No-Deposit Bonuses? Page Six reported Friday that the former president "now has a regular gig" as a DJ at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. . Lawyers for Bland's family have argued that Texas state trooper Brian Encinia had no grounds for the July arrest. Sandra Bland. Uncredited/AP. Encinia, who still awaits trial on the perjury indictment, may appeal his firing under department rules. Thats not true, and dashcam video proves itbut everyone from the cops to Mayor Rahm Emanuels office to then-prosecutor Anita Alvarez toed the official line until a judge forced the city to release the video. Maybe she got kicked, he told the Huffington Posts Michael McLaughlin. The Post reported: "While the number of black males armed and unarmed who have been killed has fallen, black males continue to be shot at disproportionately high rates, the data shows. I will light you up!. Three days later, her death in Waller County jail cell 95 was ruled a suicide. Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland during a contentious traffic stop, has been indicted on charges of perjury, accused of lying about how he removed . The reporter who had exposed the videos existence was later barred from a press conference with city leaders about the killing. 20102021 It's all in the hands of law enforcement.". That was the only criminal charge he faced. This week, a Dallas news station obtained a cellphone clip recorded by Sandra Bland. That's not justice for me," Reed-Veal said. Top Stories. The post includes a pictureshowing Bland in an orange jumpsuit with her eyes rolled back into her head. I think its really unfortunate that he would continue to pervert his version of events, said attorney Cannon Lambert. There have been 179 this year, according to Mappingpoliceviolence.org. Nation Aug 1, 2015 3:44 PM EST. Atlantic City Sergeant Mark Benjamin says he got a death threat after reporting officers for abuse of force. Trooper Encinia responded with an inappropriate comment by saying good. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. As of recent reports, he is . More: George Floyd. In the video, officer Brian Encinia shouts: "Get out of the car! The Texas Department of Public Safety released a statement announcing that Encinia would be placed on indefinite desk duty for violations of department protocols on July 17, four days after Bland was found dead in her Waller County jail cell. Al Sharpton, when he clearly said, Black lives matter.. I was checking the condition of the vehicle, such as the make, the model, had a license plate, any other conditions.. Video of the traffic stop and Bland's death -- which the county coroner ultimately ruled suicide -- prompted investigations by the Texas Rangers and the FBI. The exchange escalated, resulting in Blands arrest and a charge of assaulting a police officer.Death of Sandra Bland. Former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia said he feared for his personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland in Waller County on July 21, 2015. Kelleys claims that he tried to expose misconduct in Blands case stand out as unusual. "I'm over it. During Bland's arrest, Encinia threatened her with a taser, as Texas state Sen. Royce West confirmed. The lengthy dashcam video of Encinia and Blands encounter, followed by the comparative dearth of clear information on what happened to her in the three days between her arrest and when she was found dead in a county jail cell, made the incident a national headline. But Encinia said he didnt know what he was arresting Bland for but would come up with something, Kelley says. balked at Encinia's perjury misdemeanor charge. Knowing he could not ticket Bland for failure to stop at the sign, Encinia went on to explain why he followed her. Texas Department of Public Safety released a statement, visiting criminal law scholar at the University of Houston. Orta was transferred multiple times during his imprisonment. Oct. 13, 2016 Updated: Oct. 13, 2016 3:53 p.m. 21. The trooper, Brian Encinia, would later be fired and charged with perjury, though the charge wouldn't stick. This article was published more than3 years ago. The second interview was done on Feb. 22, 2016, after he was indicted by a Waller County grand jury on a perjury charge. Dash cam video shows Encinia, who later claimed that he was attempting to safely conduct a traffic investigation, threatening to use his taser, saying that he was going to light up Bland. The situation had already gotten out of hand by the time the violator found out what she was receiving. "This case now represents much more than Brian Encinia," Lewis said. Most of the time, the blue wall of silence has to get torn down from the outside. The hacker group Anonymous stoked the flames of conspiracywhen itreleased a video claiming law enforcement officials murdered Bland during the traffic stop and took mugshot photos of her body to cover their tracks. Nationwide tensions over the deathsof Black Americans in police custody particularly at traffic stopsandevidence that law enforcement officialsedited several segments from the dashcam videoalso heightened skepticism. The claim that Bland was dead in her mugshot has proved popular on social media. Brian Encinia is an ex-state trooper in Texas. When George Floyd died last spring, emotions from the Bland family tragedy were rekindled. If convicted, Encinia could face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. "It is a threat to all police officers in the state of Texas of a runaway grand jury or a rogue prosecutor deciding to . By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. It also shows he did not follow procedure when he didnt tell Bland what action he was going to take and the situation had already gotten out of hand. Here's why that's hard to believe. What happened to State Trooper Brian Encinia? "I'm angry, absolutely. Blands mother Geneva Reed-Veal has become an outspoken advocate for police reform. A prosecutor can still go to trial if he or she believes that the evidence is strong enough to warrant one, and there will still be a grand jury regarding the events surrounding the arrest. The Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, the motorist who days later was found hanged in a jail cell, was formally fired on Wednesday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. "That did not happen in this situation. The Texas state trooper who stopped Bland, Brian Encinia, was charged with lying to investigators for saying his safety was in jeopardy. Maybe she fell when she was in handcuffs. 5:15 PM Jul 23, 2020 CDT, Here is a list of events leading to the Sandra Bland Act, which became a state law in 2017. Gary Hershorn, who spent more than 30 years as a photographyeditor for Reuters, said it would be easy to alterBland's eyes fromthe official mugshot to make them appear to roll back. pic.twitter.com/dmhlQAiELZ. FACT CHECK: . Encinia was eventually charged, but only with perjurya decision that sparked further outrage. The defense team for Brian Encinia, the then-DPS trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, may ask for the trial to be moved outside Waller County. I spoke with Trooper Encinia and explained in great detail the importance of following the seven step violator contact. But the lack of an indictment is a strong indicator that Encinia won't get his day in court. The decision to fire Brian Encinia, the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, was upheld by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a news release says. The first interview was conducted three months after Blands death in 2015. For many Black Americans, these deaths and others have caused lasting trauma, Road trip for suburban woman ends in jailhouse death, BuzzFeed Helped Spread Far-Fetched Conspiracy Theories About Sandra Blands Death, Sandra Bland: Anonymous release video claiming to 'expose Texas police for releasing dead mugshot', Sandra Bland Death: Texas to Look Into Alleged Edits of Dashcam Video, #JusticeForSandy: Sandy Bland Death in Texas Jail Sparks Questions, Sandra Bland death triggers #IfIDieInPoliceCustody trend, Sandra Bland's family settles wrongful death case for $1.9M, Trooper Who Arrested Sandra Band Formally Fired, Newly released Sandra Bland video shows her alive at Texas jail before death, Social media speculates whether Bland is dead in mugshot. Waller County District Judge Albert . | The Texas Tribune Trooper fired for Sandra Bland stop: My safety was in jeopardy. Former Texas Department of Safety Trooper Brian Encinia says he feared for his personal safety after pulling over Sandra Bland in Waller County on July 21, 2015. And he was met with applause last month while speaking at a convention of the National Action Network, founded by the Rev. Stories that matter delivered to your inbox. Kelleys claim that the DAs office tried to intimidate him resonate with other stories of police officers speaking up when they believe their colleagues or bosses broke the law or violated someones civil rights. Was Brian Encinia scared during Sandra Bland traffic stop? Get out of the car! he shouts while pointing it at her chest. Hours after the indictment, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that Encinia would be fired from his post, reports the New York Times. , founded by the time attorney Larkin Eakin Jr. says that Encinia wo n't Get his day court!, she was receiving previously a foreign correspondent in Jerusalem, Israel covering East. 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